Ego Painted Grey
by Son of the Mourning
Summary: PART 3 OF SERIES* The war may be behind them but the secrets are not. An unread letter sent from one dead man to another changes everything they thought they knew. How far do the lies go, and how many lives did Dumbledore ruin?**Crediting TheGrandDisciple and ZorakTwentyThree as consult**
1. Chapter 1

**So we decided to venture into co-writing for Harry Potter and we bring you this Harmony story. Please enjoy and if you're into Marvel, check out our other stories.**

**This is a first for SOTM to be writing a Harmony fic. *SOTM squeals with excitement***

**Reviews por favor.**

_** SUBMISSION FOR THE HARMONY SUMMER FUN WRITING FEST**_

* * *

"You see the scores from last night's game?"

"Not yet."

"Why not? Been out since this morning."

"Because I've been working, Ron." He replied with an agitated tone without looking up from the file in his hands.

"All you do is work, Harry. You gotta take a break sometime."

Harry looked up at the clock on the wall above the bulletin board, "It's not even close to being lunch time."

A large pair of dirty boots loudly propped up on the desk across from him. The chair squeaked loudly as he leaned back to cross his arms, "Perks of being us though, innit?"

Harry scowled at him, then immediately stood up when he saw who was walking up to their desks, "Sir."

"Potter," He greeted.

"Hey, Kings." Ron nodded his head.

"Weasley, I want that paperwork on my desk by the end of the week or it's a write up." He said pointed at him.

"You were serious about that?" his brows shot up.

Kingsley scowled and waved his hand to gesture around the room, "Everyone has to do paperwork."

Ron got defensive and took his feet off the desk, "Moody didn't have to do paperwork."

"He didn't even really work here." Kingsley said with frustration.

The ginger sat up straight in his seat, "Then how'd he become an Auror?"

"He wasn't even a Ministry Employee." Kingsley admitted, "He just kept showing up everyday."

"So they just hired him because he was punctual?" Ron tilted his head.

Both men rolled their eyes. Harry answered him, "No one had the courage to tell him to go home."

"No way, mate." Ron shook his head.

"You haven't noticed there isn't a file in there that his quill touched?" Harry asked him, "Not once have you questioned why the Ministry's top Auror, the man who filled the lowest levels of Azkaban single handedly, didn't have a desk?"

"To be fair, no one could be _paid_ enough to tell him leave either." Kingsley added.

The confused look on the redhead's face told them he still wasn't keeping up with them. "The Ministry used Moody as a bounty hunter." Harry explained.

Kingsley snapped his fingers and pointed at Harry, "Ten points to Potter."

A soft chime could be heard from across the room. They paused to see if another would follow. Ron smirked at Harry, "Still in the lead, mate."

"Not if that paperwork isn't on my desk by the end of the week." Kingsley countered and continued to his office.

"Sir, yes sir." Ron gave a mock salute with two fingers.

"I thought you hated the game?" Harry asked him once Kingsley started walking towards his office at the back of the bullpen, as they called it.

"Not when I'm winning. Hello paid weekend!"

Hermione had suggested to Kingsley that they should incentivize the Aurors in the office. After the war there were very few good Aurors left, and half of them walked as soon as the Ministry cut their severance checks. When the public saw the face of The Golden Trio on the paper under a "Recruiting with sign on bonus" for their department, they flocked by the masses. It also helped weed out the staff who were better suited for desk jobs. This month the Auror with the highest point score would get a paid weekend off.

Harry threw a balled up piece of parchment at his friend, "You're just waiting for 'Mione to get back so she'll do it for you."

Ron tried to catch the ball but missed, instead it landed on the floor behind him, "What's wrong with that?"

Harry scowled at his long time friend, "She's supposed to be your girlfriend, not your secretary. Also, your keeper skills are getting rusty."

"Well, when she starts acting like one more so than the other…" Ron trailed off and rubbed his shoulder as he rotated it, "And you know I got that shoulder injury from getting splinched."

He hated when Ron talked about her like that. It ate away at him over the years and whenever he said anything about it to his best friend they would get into a row and push Hermione in the middle. "I thought you said it was official?"

The redhead narrowed his eyes and tilted his head with an unsure look, "Eh, might as well be."

"So you two are back together then?" Harry cleared his throat and looked away.

After the war they had been exclusive but it was short lived. A few weeks after their passionate kiss after retrieving the basilisk fangs from the Chamber of Secrets, Hermione had to distance herself. Ron wanted to settle down and she wanted to start rebuilding the world she had come to love.

She couldn't and wouldn't stand by while the school she called home needed to be rebuilt. Ron made it out that she was holding him back from his career and followed Harry to the Ministry. Two years later after the reconstruction of Hogwarts and the Ministry, Kingsley offered Hermione a position as his personal assistant. She took the job but quickly shifted into the Auror department with her friends.

As always, Hermione needed a challenge. She picked up some cold cases on Death Eater sightings and missing persons and solved them. Soon enough Ron got tired of living in the shadow of both his best friend and his ex-girlfriend. He moved to another department but quickly found out he hated paperwork a lot more than awkward tension, so he picked his badge back up from Kingsley.

Harry stood by and watched Ron dance around Hermione for the last two years, but it was her who couldn't even hear the music. Ron said they were working it out and she said they were taking it slow. He stopped asking after the last big blow up between them in the break room. Ron had eaten Hermione's lunch and all hell broke loose. It took two Wizards from the construction department and an unspeakable to reverse the magical warzone that became of the lunch room.

"We might as well be. Enough about my girlfriend, what about yours? " Ron waved a hand dismissively. "Mum says Gin's been staying at the Burrow the last few days."

That was the last thing Harry wanted to talk about, "Everything is fine, Ron. Not all couples need to see each other twenty four seven."

Ron smirked and leaned forward in his desk, "So… when you gonna pop the question?"

"WOT?!" Harry's brows shot up so high they nearly disappeared into his hair.

"Come on, mate. I won't tell anyone. I could help you if you need."

"I-I I'm waiting for the right moment." He lied.

"Its been four years, Harry. You two have a place together. The war is over and we're grown now." Ron pointed out.

Harry rubbed the back of his neck, "It's my place, she kinda just moved her stuff in one day. And being twenty one isn't really grown-"

Ron didn't hear him, "Just don't get mad when I beat you to it. When Mione and I get hitched."

That thought turned his stomach, "You're gonna propose?!" Harry nearly jumped to his feet.

He laughed, "If she ever gets back from this mission. She's been gone for nearly a month now, you figure she'll be back soon?"

Harry took a few moments before speaking again, making sure to mask any emotions, "So… you're gonna ask her right when she gets back then?"

"Is that jealousy I hear?"

"No." He said quickly.

Ron got up from his desk and walked around towards Harry's, patting him hard on the shoulder and laughing, "Well if you wanted it first you should have jumped on it."

Harry did a double take, "You mean…. Hermione?"

Ron let out a bellow of a laugh and hit him on the back again, "That would be so weird! I meant asking Ginny."

He laughed awkwardly, "Yeah… that's what I was thinking."

"Anyway, I'm off to the Burrow for lunch. Comin' with? Mum would have my head if I didn't at least ask." Ron pointed his thumb over his shoulder towards the elevators.

Shaking his head, "Not this time, I really gotta get these reports in to Kings before he has a fit."

Ron pointed at him and gave him a knowing smile, "Ah… trying to win the game eh? I see you, Potter. Gotta watch my six."


	2. Chapter 2

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* * *

Another week went by before they heard anything about Hermione's status. Every Auror had been on the long cases that had kept them from home, but for her to be gone for a whole month. Harry had been on edge after she didn't come back the third day. Knowing that she went with a team of two other Aurors was the only thing that kept him from running into Kingsley's office and demand he bring her home. The only thing that bothered Ron about her absence was his ever increasing pile of work.

Each open case was always kept confidential, ongoing details and updates were only privy to the Aurors assigned to the case and the Minister himself. One of the changes that Harry implemented when he became Auror of the department. He and Kingsley knew the war was built on spies running around with highly classified intel.

Now that bill he helped pass came back to bite him in the arse. He was stonewalled before he got a chance to ask Kingsley about Hermione the first week. "Don't waste your breath, Potter. If you're not on the case, get out of my face. Oh, that's catchy. I like it."

Harry was sitting at his desk looking over files when another Auror came up, "I don't know why you bothered pushing your desk against Weasley's."

He looked up to see Williamson leaning against a nearby desk, not paying attention, "Huh?"

"Unless you're in it for the view." He winked and nodded towards Hermione's desk.

The comment caught Harry off guard, "What? No- Ron's good to pitch ideas to when working a case."

"Nothing to do with the fact that you can see the Minister's office, the room of records and the International Floo from here?"

Harry's face went red and he stammered, "No, I didn't even pay attention. I uh, can see the points from here though. But, Ron's my mate and we share a majority of our cases."

"Funny guy, but he's never there. Great on the field but when it comes to reports he ghosts you." He made his final comment with an eye roll and picked up his empty coffee cup. "Cuppa?"

"No thanks." Harry shook his head and watched the other man leave. He exhaled a long breath that he didn't know he was holding.

Harry looked back down at he file he picked at random from the 'busy work bin' as he liked to call it. With another long sigh he closed it and ran his hand through his hair. The sound of the fire coming to life and the bright flashes of green made him look up.

"_WOTCHER! PRISONER INBOUND!"_

The surrounding people quickly moved out of the way and the closest senior Aurors stood by with their wands drawn. The floo activated again and a man in dirty, torn robes and magical cuffs walked through the flames. He was immediately followed by Hermione with her wand drawn and pointed in between his shoulder blades.

He was taller than Hermione with his long matted hair covering his dirty face. Two male Aurors stepped forward and took him from her as she warned them, "He's been silenced for a reason."

Harry's feet started working on their own accord. He didn't pay any attention to the knowing smirk from his fellow Auror in passing. She saw him as the crowd parted and went back to their daily doings.

Her face lit up with a bright smile as she sheathed her wand and started walking towards him. His smile grew wider as hers did and the closer they got, the faster their feet took them.

"There's my girl!"

Harry stopped in his tracks as soon as his heart dropped to his gut.

"Hey Harry, Mione's back!" Ron called out, ignoring the look of horror on Hermione's face as he pulled her closer to him with an arm around her shoulder.

Continuing his intended path at a slower pace, "Hey Mione, you alright?"

She gave him a forced smile as she leaned away from Ron as much as she could, "Never better."

"Course she is!" Ron spoke loudly over her.

"How was your travel? You jet lagged at all?" Harry asked her, pointedly ignoring Ron as he spoke softly to her.

Ron perked up, "Why don't you tell me all about it over dinner, eh?"

He started to lead her towards the elevators but she dug her feet into the ground and stopped him in his tracks. "I can't."

"Paperwork can wait, let's go grab a bite to eat." Ron tried to convince her.

Hermione pulled away from him, ducking under his arm draped over her, "Actually, I already have dinner plans."

"You do?" both of them asked in unison.

Nodding, she reached up to pull the tie out of her thick curly hair and running her fingers through it in attempt to look presentable, "Sorry Ronald, maybe some other time. I've got to get going before I'm late."

Ron's face said it all, "But you've only just got back! How can you have plans so fast?"

"Dinner plans with who?" Harry asked the important question.

"There you are." A deep voice made them all turn. "Are you ready to go?"

Hermione lit up when she saw him, "Ready when you are!"

Kingsley stopped and stood right next to Hermione, giving Harry and Ron a nod in acknowledgement, "Potter, Weasley I hope to see those reports on my desk in the morning."

"Sir." They answered quickly.

"Did you need to stop at your place first to change?" He turned back to Hermione.

She waved a hand dismissively and reached for his outstretched arm, "No bother, I'll just change at your place."

Both men watched their Hermione walk off arm in arm with their boss.

"Did you know?" Ron asked first.

"No, did you?" Harry replied.

"No." he shook his head and wiped his large hand across his forehead in frustration.

"I thought you said you two were official."

"Shut up, Harry."

Ron stormed off towards the offices they used for questioning, "How can I compete with that?! Its like Krum all over again, but this time it's the bloody Minister of Magic."

"You should just be happy for her... no matter who she's with. Even if it's not you." Harry after he closed the office door behind him to give them some privacy.

"How could she? This is unacceptable." He was pacing back and forth while Harry leaned against the desk with his arms crossed.

"Unacceptable?" Harry knew his friend was stubborn but this was getting out of hand.

"What the bloody hell am I gonna do now?" Ron was talking more to himself than his friend.

"Move on, tell her you're happy for her, not be a prat about it." Harry suggested sarcastically knowing how Ron was.

"No not that, I meant where am I gonna live?" he finally admitted.

Harry looked up suddenly with a scowl, "Please don't tell me you moved into her flat while she was gone."

"Harry, I need your help."

* * *

After walking away from Ron, very annoyed, Harry went to the cafeteria. On days Ron annoyed him to this degree, Harry ordered a specific meal which was a corn-beef sandwich on rye bread with mustard, lettuce and tomato with of cup of strong tea. Even though it wasn't breakfast time, strong tea usually helped to level out his nerves. Just as he was taking a sip of his tea, he heard a voice that he hadn't heard in a long time greet him.

"Well if it isn't the soon to be Head Auror, Harry Potter."

Harry chuckled and looked over his shoulder as he spoke. "Bill Weasley, the best Curse Breaker, Gringott's has in their employ." They both laughed and shook hands. "How are you, Bill?"

Bill sat down with Harry and nodded. "I'm doing well. I come bearing news."

Harry pushed his food tray aside to give Bill his undivided attention. "Coming from you this must be something special. Especially given that you came all the way here."

Bill chuckled. "I was hoping to be able to tell you and Ron but I apparently just missed him. Given that you're eating corn-beef, he's frazzled your nerves again."

Harry sighed and said, "Never mind that. What's your news, Bill?"

Bill shook his head. "No. I can no longer ignore this. This seems to happening more often then it should."

"What makes you say that?" Harry asked trying to play it off.

"Mum says that Ron has been complaining that for the last two months you haven't wanted to grab an after work pint with him nor have you really wanted to hang out," Bill answered until Harry leaned forward indicating for him to finish his answer and withhold the last part. Bill rolled his eyes. "And Mum also said that you haven't been by the Burrow in just as long," he finished sounding annoyed and defeated.

Now it was Harry's turn to sigh. "It's true that Ron has become a tad annoying recently. Right after Hermione left actually. I can't figure out the bloody deal between them anymore. However that _isn't_ why I haven't been by the Burrow."

"Then tell me what the reason is. Please?" Bill asked.

Harry took a deep breath. "I can't face, Ginny," he admitted and saw Bill was taken aback. "We broke up about five months ago."

Bill looked around. "Ron seems to be oddly alright with it."

"Ron doesn't know," Harry replied and ran his hand through his messy black hair.

"That would explain a lot. Why did you and my sister break up?"

"Why? So you can be upset with me too?"

"What? No," Bill quickly answered. "Sure she's my sister but things happen and she needs to learn from it."

Harry nodded and apologized. "Sorry. Anyway, Ginny became very focused on her Quidditch career and that was alright for her. Me being an Auror however, apparently was not. We got into an awful argument five months ago. She blamed me working this "dangerous job," for her and the Hollyhead Harpies losing the World Cup. According to her, it caused her to be unable to focus during the big game. Despite the fact that I had transferred full time to the desk two months prior."

"That sound like complete ludicrous to me," Bill replied. "Let me guess, you refused to travel with her and let her have her way?"

"Exactly," Harry answered and pointed.

"Sounds like my sister," Bill said. "So what happened?"

"Well... I said we needed to talk. Next thing I know, all hell broke loose and I'm the 'Ungrateful, ignorant git that doesn't appreciate what was standing in front of me.' Apparently, agreeing with her and leaving was the wrong thing to do." Harry shrugged and gave him a fake shocked look.

"Sounds like the problems started way before all of that."

"Well I guess it started with her moving in while I was at work. She'd spent the night prior to and the next day I came home for lunch and found her stuff everywhere. When I asked her for half of rent she flipped out. Figured she was right and let it go. I don't have to worry about money - she had a point there. But when she wouldn't leave was when things got worse... I just gave up on the place. Now I'm out and I don't know what she's more upset about; me moving out, or her now having to pay rent."

Bill shook his head. "So what lead to her blaming your job?"

"I didn't want to travel with the Harpies or keep playing Quidditch. I lost my love for it after... after Fred," Harry answered and there was a brief silence.

"Anyway, she blamed me and I left. I came here to the office right after. It was the only place most can't follow me to unless they work here or are here on official business. I wound talking to Hermione after her shift ended. For several hours actually. She put it in as overtime and knew no one would ask questions."

"She convinced me to sit down with Ginny and just talk to her and find out what she _really_ wanted from our relationship. Despite not really wanting to because I was sick of the arguments, I went ahead and did that. I asked her how she sees me and she simply said, 'Her boyfriend. The Savior of the Wizarding World.' I couldn't stay with her anymore. I told her it was over and she could keep the flat. That's when she revealed her plan that was as awful as casting an unforgivable."

"What was that?" Bill asked anxiously.

"She begged not to leave because otherwise the potion she had purchased would be useless. The Artists Graviditas Potion."

"Bloody hell?" Bill shouted and slammed his fist on the table.

"That's right. She was going to take the pregnancy amplifier potion to trap me with a child and keep me with her. Luckily she hadn't used it yet. I packed my things and left."

"Surprised she didn't bleed your vaults dry."

Harry snorted. "We never got married. Therefore she had no access. I'm not stupid enough to have made _that_ kind of mistake.

Billy reached over and patted him on the shoulder. "I'm sorry that happened to you."

Harry shrugged. It was a learning experience. Hermione helped me to see that. She helped me a lot with getting over the situation and seeing the brighter things," Harry said with a strange smile and his tone as if he were about to go to drift off mentally before he gave a quick shake of his head. "And she also pointed out that if Ron found out me and Ginny broke up, it will be too much hassle and work will never be peaceful."

"Hopefully you tell him soon. You know he can hold a grudge and will be really angry that you took this long to tell him. He got Mum's temper." Bill said and then smirked. "It also sounds like you might have a shot with Hermione if she isn't foolish with my brother. Don't get me wrong, I love him because he's my brother but he's not exactly the type that she should be with."

"I don't fancy Hermione like that," harry answered all too quickly.

Bill's smirk grew. "If that's what you want to believe. The way you just talked about her though says otherwise. I say, if you get a chance with her, you should take it."

Harry cracked his neck in frustration. Wanting to deny what Bill was saying. He then quickly changed the subject. "So what is this news you have? Stop keeping me waiting."

Bill smiled wide. "Oh yes, Fleur currently possesses two magical cores," he said with a raise of his eyebrows.

Harry smiled in excitement, "Why you lucky git, Congratulations! I'm happy for you two. Truly!"

"Thank you, Harry. Please, let me be the one to tell Ron."

"Of course."


	3. Chapter 3

**Disciple- apologies, the delay in posting is my fault. Slacked on balancing work, errands and home properly.**

**SOTM- remember, it's a mystery fic. dont be pissed when you are "missing" something. thats the point. have fun, leave us reviews on what you think is gonna happen.**

**Colonel Sanders in the library with a lead pipe type of stuff.**

**sweet dreams are made of reviews.**

* * *

After apparating to the location, they entered Hermione's flat and Ron summoned the boxes. Almost immediately, Ron was grabbing and packing whatever he saw that was his and expected Harry to do the same. Harry was looking the place over. It definitely did _not_ look like the flat he had just been at four or five months ago. He was both surprised and disgusted by how Ron by himself was able to do that. He brought out of his thoughts when Ron got his attention.

"Harry, whatever doesn't look like it would belong to Hermione is mine unless I say so."

"That doesn't help, Ron. Where do I start?" he gestured his hand to the overall state of the room.

Ron grunted in frustration, "Start in the spare room, grab stuff and put it in a box."

Harry threw up a hand, "Why not just use magic?"

"Because I've tried before and it kept packing Hermione's stuff too," Ron explained with an annoyed tone, and left the room.

Harry rolled his eyes and didn't bother to tell Ron that he knew of another spell that would help the situation. He did not want to be here under the current circumstance. Especially because it was to help bail out Ron. Harry loved his best friend but this was one of those times that he felt Ron should be caught and deal with the consequences. Problem now was that Ron drug him into it so he would be just as guilty for knowing and not saying anything. He told himself that Hermione would forgive him if he was caught there with Ron because it was obvious Ron gave him no choice but to help.

Harry knew how to properly use the packing charm but due to his reluctance and slight desire to get Ron caught, he wasn't going to use it. When he walked into the spare room, instant anger rushed through his body. The room was covered in what appeared to be, all of Ron's belongings from the Burrow. They were strewn throughout the room and the bookshelves had all of his items on them. There were twelve boxes in total of different sizes. Some were still unopened, others only had a few items taken out of them.

Harry realized quickly that this was the room Hermione was using as her study when he saw that the closet was overflowing with just about all of Hermione's books. They had noticeably been carelessly tossed into the closet. Trying to keep composure, he went ahead and used the pack charm on all of Ron's items. Once the boxes were packed and sorted out, Harry couldn't help but to carry the twelve boxes out of the room and stacked them in the front room, one by one. Starting with the lightest one.

A while later he was carrying out the fifth box when Ron emerged from the bedroom. His eyes went wide and his face turned as red as his hair. "What the bloody hell, Harry? Why aren't you using your magic? You trying to get us caught? You're stalling aren't you?"

"What? No! No, I'm not," Harry lied. "Your breakables are in these boxes. With how a big a racket you make about that, I felt I had no choice but to carry them this way."

Ron sighed. "Usually, yes. You're right. Right now, I don't care and I'll use Reparo. We need to hurry up."

"Then you hurry it up, Ron. This is _your_ deal." He shot back and crossed his arms.

Ron pointed his wand and summoned the remaining boxes from the spare room. Harry went back in there when Ron apparated with the first set of boxes. Thankfully, the room and the bookshelves were empty. There was even a desk uncovered. He opened the door to the closet.

He waved his wand between the books and the bookshelves as he chanted, "Locus."

All of the books and many parchments and a quill placed themselves onto the desk. As precaution he also cast Reparo on the books in case any were damaged.

Harry looked at a clock that was on a stand next to the recliner behind him. He was surprised to see that it had been an hour an a half. He didn't want to be there that long. When Ron reappeared, he rolled his eyes seeing Harry standing there.

"Hurry up and move the damn boxes, Harry! Don't just stand there." He ordered angrily as he stomped around him.

"You know what. I helped pack your stuff. You can do the rest. I'll see you at work," Harry shouted and apparated away.

Ron cursed under his breath. "But I'm not done. Bollocks!"

* * *

The following morning, Ron found Harry already at his desk going through some paperwork. "You're here early."

Without looking up, Harry responded stiffly, "Shift starts at eight, Ron. Just like yesterday, and the day before that."

Ron took a seat at his desk across from Harry, "Look, I know you're disappointed in me." The hard stare that Harry gave him when he finally looked up made Ron correct himself, "Alright, you're pissed at me. A-and rightfully so." He added quickly.

"Are you just stating the obvious, or are you going somewhere with this? I have work to do."

"I just want to let you know that I've thought about what you said last night. You're right, I've been a ruddy boyfriend and an even worse friend lately." Ron waited for Harry to correct him but he didn't, "Uh… anyway, I decided to take your advice and just come out and ask her to marry me."

Harry nearly go to his feet in outrage, gripping the edge of his desk he leaned forward angrily, "That wasn't my advice at all! I didn't even say that!"

"What advice?" Hermione's voice asked from behind him.

His head whipped around so fast that his glasses nearly fell off his face, "Good morning!"

She leaned back a bit at his sudden loud outburst, "Right… good morning."

Ron stood up and walked around to Harry's desk, sitting on the edge of it closest to Hermione, "So, I bet you missed sleeping in your own bed huh? Glad to be home?" he asked casually.

Harry scowled at his now flattened scrolls that Ron sat on, but listened intently for her answer. Part of him wished she found out about Ron moving in while she was out. That way his idiot friend could leave her alone and stop the constant awkward tension.

Hermione shook her head, "Oh, I still haven't been home yet. I've got so much to do before I turn in my reports."

"You slept at the office? We talked about this, Mione." Ron was concerned that she treated work like she did the library, which was unacceptable to him.

"Of course not, I stayed at Kings' place and came in with him this morning."

Harry stopped rocking back and forth in his chair. Ron's jaw dropped, the flirtatious smirk he bore vanished and his cheeks turned red.

"Potter, Weasley, Mione! My office now!" Kingsley yelled across the bullpen.

Hermione waved at him in acknowledgement, "You better have those reports handy, Ronald. He woke up on the wrong side of the bed this morning." She started walking over towards Kingsley, leaving them behind.

Ron stood up quickly, unfortunately knocking over Harry's open ink, "Shite- sorry."

"What the hell?!" Harry hissed at him.

"I said I was sorry!" Ron said defensively.

Harry waved his wand to clean the mess, "Not that. I meant- never mind. Let's hurry, he sounds pissed."

"Why doesn't he call her Granger?" Ron mumbled to himself.

It was obvious that both men were on edge and caught off guard. The thought of their best friend shacking up with their boss wasn't comprehendible to them, but only Ron was in denial. Neither knew how to act or what to say when they walked into the office.

"Close the door behind you, Potter." Kingsley ordered before pulling his wand out. As soon as the door closed, he waved it, silencing the room.

Harry and Ron stood on either side of Hermione, both looking from her to each other out of the corner of their eyes. Harry gave him a small shake of the head, telling him this was neither the time nor place to discuss Hermione's love life.

A grumpy yowl and orange ball of fluff ran out from under the large desk. Harry and Ron's Auror instincts kicked in, in spite of knowing the familiar feline for nearly as long as they knew each other. Both drew their wands, immediately clicking their tongues in annoyance when they realized it was Crookshanks.

"How you doing, old man?" Harry asked, reaching up to rub his knuckle under Crookshanks' chin.

"What's the cat doing here?" Ron's disgusted look on his face. He never could warm up to her familiar. Their history at Hogwarts was one thing, but the incident on New Year's Eve a few years back confirmed their hate for each other. Ron had come out of that one with dozen's of scratches on his head and arms when the firecracker he threw into the hearth got too close to the napping cat next to it.

Hermione scowled at him, "Kingsley's been watching him for me while I've been gone. Did you think I took him with me?"

"Yeah Ron, didn't you notice that he wasn't at Hermione's place the whole time?" Harry looked at Ron over the brim of his glasses, channeling his inner Professor McGonagall, causing Ron to snap his jaw shut loudly. "You could have asked us, Mione." Harry continued petting Crooks.

She gave him a sweet smile and put her hands around her middle, "Well, since Ron doesn't have his own place, I didn't want to impose on Molly… and I know Ginny is allergic to him, so I didn't want to put anyone out at your place. Thanks again, Sir."

Kingsley smiled at her brightly and winked, "Anything for my top Auror."

The redhead visibly flinched and pretended to look at the picture on the wall near him. Harry stiffened at her choice of words. No one in the room knew that he and Ginny were no longer together. Nor that he'd moved out several months ago and could have used the company.

After a few moments Ron spoke, "Why's there a picture of Crooks in here? He ain't your cat."

Kingsley smirked, "That's the employee of the month."

"But it's a cat."

"_He_ catches dark wizards." Kingsley said pointedly.

Ron crossed his arms, "And I don't?"

He was smiling at Ron, leaning forward with both hands flat on his desk, "Tell you what, Weasley. You catch more dark wizards than Sir Crookshanks of London-"

"I moved to Cambridge, remember?" Hermione whispered to him with a smile.

"Of course, you're right." He nodded to her before continuing, "Beat Sir Crookshanks of Cambridge, formerly of London, and I'll put your bloody picture on the wall."

Ron wasn't getting the joke, he was getting riled up, "Trippin' 'em while they're coming to turn themselves in doesn't count! You told me so yourself when I booked what's 'is face!"

Kingsley stood up straight and crossed his arms, "Well you'd remember his name if you filed the report wouldn't you? Because 'What's his face' is pending a court hearing. Where's my damn report, Weasley?"

"Sir, you wanted to see us about something?" Harry interrupted.

Kingsley blinked and looked at him, "Oh yes, where was I?" he looked around on his desk and shuffled some papers.

Ron gave Harry a nod in thanks for distracting their boss. Hermione shook her head and gave him a disapproving look and hissed, "_I told you._"

Once he found what he was looking for, "Alright, we have two cases that are high priority. The Ministry needs their top Aurors on them. I wouldn't trust anyone else except you lot."

"Hear that, we're the best of the best." Ron smirked and nodded to his friends.

"Again, I was talking to the cat." Kingsley said bluntly, "These two cases need to be split between the three of you. I don't care who works what, but I need movement on these today."

"How high priority are we talking here, sir?" Harry's mind was already working on a possible game plan.

Ron spoke over Harry, "Easy 'nuff. Hermione and I will team up on one and Harry will take the other."

"You just want to work with Mione because I won't write your reports like she does." Harry snapped and called him out. He was upset that Ron had beat him at a chance to work with her again. They hadn't been on a case with her since she started in their department.

"**Enough.**" Kingsley's voice boomed at them. "I don't even know why I bother…" he trailed off as he tilted his head back and looked to the ceiling. "You know the law, can't give anymore info than what has already been released to the public until I assign the case, and only to that Auror. We have six professional quidditch players that got popped for performance enhancement."

"Wicked! Which players? Oh wait- let me guess!" Ron was nearly shaking with excitement.

"It's an investigation, Ronald." She said disapprovingly.

"Yes Weasley, in fact it's so wicked that it's considered a high class illegal narcotic." Kingsley said sarcastically. "The players have yet to be questioned, but like I said, I need someone-"

Ron quickly jumped in front of the other two, "I'm your guy!"

Harry chuckled, "Ron, I-" He stopped speaking when Hermione nudged him. He looked down at her, her eyes were wide and she mouthed, 'Shut up.'

"I'll take the case, Kings. I'll catch your dark wizard. Hell, I'll even write the report!" Ron held his hand out to take the file. Once he grabbed it he started to walk out of the office, patting Harry on the back in passing, "Sorry mate too slow, you're stuck with Hermione now. Good luck next time."

Her jaw dropped and her eyes went wide, it was quickly replaced by a hurt look. "Stuck with me?"

"I was going to say, I think this is a good one for you. We finally found a case that's easy enough that you can finally work by yourself." Harry grabbed the edge of the door that Ron left open on his way out and slammed it far harder than necessary before he could reply.

When he turned around, there was no mistaking the watery look in her eyes. Ronald Weasley as lucky the Minister of Magic was in the room when he said that, otherwise Harry wouldn't have been able to stop himself from hexing him.

"I love when a plan goes my way." Kingsley mused. He chuckled when he noticed the look that Harry gave him. "What, you think that case was high priority? I just wanted to keep him busy so I could get my _working_ employees on the real stuff."

Hermione gave him a sad smile, "You don't have to try and cheer me up, Kings. I know I'm a pain to be with."

"No you're not. If I could clone you, I would. Technically, I could, but Polyjuice only works for appearances, not brilliant minds." Kingsley said softly.

Harry couldn't take the sinking feeling in his gut, he didn't know how much more flirting he could take before he pulled his hair out. "What you got for us, sir?"

"Actually Hermione is required to be on this one, I just thought given who the case pertains to, that you would want on board." He explained as he opened the file and pushed it across his desk towards them. "The wizard you just booked had some interesting items on him when they processed him. Hermione and I talked about it at great lengths last night."

Hermione held the file up to cover her blushing cheeks, "Amongst other things."

"And this morning." Kingsley added with a wink.

"Who did you bring in, Mione?" Harry asked while trying to look over her shoulder at the file. He just wanted to get the case and leave.

"Scabior. He was registered as 'missing/deceased' after the battle with the whole bridge thing- you know what I'm talking about. We thought he was dead until recently when he showed face in Germany. He was hiding in a remote forest, terrorizing the young muggle women in a nearby town." Hermione explained smoothly, her work persona now taking over.

He remembered Scabior fondly. He was the lead snatcher who caught them during the war. "What do you mean interesting items? Did he have any intel on him about remaining death eaters?"

"You could say that," Kingsley reached into his inner robe pocket and handed a small envelope to him.

To the naked eye, it was a regular postage envelope that had been handled often but was never opened. What caught Harry's eye were the black inked words on the front in thick spikey handwriting.

'_**Son of the Morning**_

_**-Legal Assassin'**_

He didn't know who or what that meant, so he passed it to Hermione to examine, "I'm assuming this isn't all of it?"

"Without trying I can tell this letter is magically sealed, we should put him in a room for questioning." She commented while turning it over in her hands.

Kingsley bent down behind his desk, picking up a box that was under it, "Amongst the illegal contraband on his persons, he had Severus Snape's wand and Death Eater mask. As well as that letter in your hands."

Harry's eyes lit up, "Really? Way to go Hermione, now we can finally put something in his grave. I knew it wasn't destroyed in the fire."

"Damn the wand, Potter. That letter is either dark magic or someone trying to bait us." Kingsley pointed to the letter in her hands accusingly.

"You're saying this is a threat?" Hermione placed the letter on the desk, pulled her wand out and started to wave it above the letter.

He ticked off his fingers, "A threat, a warning, a sign of the end of times, for Merlin's sake!" he pushed the sleeves of his robes up to his elbows and rubbed the back of his head, "Those names should never be spoken, let alone seen! Not then, not now, not ever. Especially not after!"

Harry couldn't understand why this was so concerning to the Minister, "Can we get some context clues here, Kings?"

Kingsley took a deep breath and his eyes widened, looking overwhelmed and not knowing where to start. "First, you have to understand that it was a different time back then. The things that happened, the things we did…" Leaning forward on his desk with both hands, a solemn look on his face and a careful voice, "During the first war, Voldemort's name wasn't the only one that was taboo."

"Sir, which name?" Hermione lowered her wand and gave him her full attention.

"_Fear of a name increases fear of a thing itself,_" He started, "When Voldemort rose to power, he had the department backed against a wall. One man took measures the Ministry wasn't willing to." Kingsley looked off into the distance for a brief moment, "Alastor Moody fought fear with fear."

"But the Taboo curse is illegal." Hermione stated.

Harry adjusted his glasses, "You missed the conversation from yesterday. Moody got away with a lot of shit."

"Who was going to stop him? Me? I didn't even have one year under my belt as an Auror." Kingsley shrugged his shoulders, "War changes a man. We all know that from hands on experience, but Moody… he wasn't a man anymore."

Kingsley stood up straight and rubbed the back of his neck again, "Within the first week he had apprehended three high ranking Death Eaters and murdered four. The Ministry and the public said nothing. If no one acknowledged it; if no one spoke of it, then it never happened."

"Murder? I don't think that's the proper term." Hermione corrected.

"You're right. The things he did weren't considered murder. Torture, manslaughter… the things he did made the Ministry fear him, and they were safer if they let him."

"That's why we can't find any files on Moody."

Nodding, "The trail of bodies that follows that name do not put the Ministry in good light. He stroke fear in even the most darkest of Wizards. They took precaution to forbid his name, else they summon the _Legal Assassin_."

"Legal Assassin? What does that mean?" Harry asked.

"Moody was the judge, jury and executioner. He didn't believe in trials or sentencing. To him, the world was in black and white. He killed on site, with authority that no one gave him, yet no one had the courage to take it away." Kingsley said, remembering the many times the Wizard in question used unforgiveables.

"Then who is 'Son of the Morning?'" Hermione asked after a few moments of silence.

"Severus Snape."

Harry's right hand went to his scar, rubbing it out of a habit he couldn't overcome when agitated, "Hold up, I thought Snape was 'The Half Blood Prince.' Where's this coming from?"

"Never mind that, Harry." Hermione interjected, "Why is Alastor Moody writing Severus Snape a letter?"

"Yeah, you're question is way better, sorry." He chuckled.

"No." Kingsley shook his head and pointed to the letter, "Hermione, tell me that letter's date of origination."

Waving her wand, she cast her usual spells when dealing with evidence at a crime scene. She may not be able to tell who's magic is all over this letter, but she will be able to get a date of when it was placed on the letter. As well as the words written in the thick black ink on the front.

_**December 22**__**nd**__** 1998**_

Hermione spoke first, "Moody died in 1997."

"And Snape died at the final battle in '98." Harry added.

"Why is a dead man sending a letter to another dead man?" Kingsley asked seriously.


	4. Chapter 4

**TheGrandDisciple: sorry for the delay. Took me forever to get my parts written. Starting a new job and had a few unexpected trips and uncooperative weather. Regardless I got it done**.

**SOTM- interested to hear what everyone's thoughts are on the mystery part. Remember, this story is part of a series but not necessary to read. It just helps a lot lol**

**Thanks for giving us a look. If you like what you read, please give us a review, like, subscribe, follow, favorite, Knick knack paddy whack buttons.**

**And to finish up with the shameless self-promotion… check out some other great work or share yours on Harry Potter OC Fanfiction and Marvel OC Fanfiction. If you like Marvel, please check out our other co-written fics, Soldier of Fortune and Vegas Mutant Vacation.**

* * *

Harry followed Hermione out of Kingsley's office with solemn looking faces. Having just been briefed by their boss and confirming their game plan for the case, neither said anything as they walked through the bullpen towards the holding cells.

"Miss Granger," one of the guards greeted, "The Minister sent word ahead, we have the prisoner ready for questioning in room seven."

Hermione smiled, "Thank you, Mr. Knight." Turning to Harry she smiled, "That was thoughtful of him."

"Very." Harry stopped in his tracks, "Hermione can I ask you a personal question?"

"Of course, Harry."

"Are you…." He paused, not knowing how to ask if she was involved with their boss. "Are you and Kingsley seeing each other?"

The blank look on her face was replaced with a loud snort and a giggle, "Where is this coming from? Of course not!" Hermione cupped her hands to her face, embarrassed that her laugh was so loud.

He let his shoulders drop and he chuckled, "Well, you guys seem pretty close and you stayed the night at his pad."

Catching her breath, "I can see how that could be misconceived, but I assure you, I am not sleeping with our boss."

"Well Ron doesn't see it that way." Harry said, quickly adding in a lighter tone, "Not that it's his business."

She stopped laughing at the mention of her ex boyfriend, "Maybe it's not such a bad idea to let Ron think that. After all…"

"What? Yeah, I mean, I don't see why not."

"It's just that he's so… you know. And I don't want to…. You know." She mumbled as she dramatically waved her hands.

"I understand. Of course." He agreed and cleared his throat, "So I guess it's safe to say you two still need to work things out?"

She sighed deeply, speaking under her breath, "More like he needs to work himself out of my life."

"Potter! Can we hurry this up? He's expected in Azkaban admitting in an hour." A man called out from down the hall.

"So good Auror, bad Auror?" Harry perked up, laughing as she swatted him on the elbow.

* * *

The man cuffed to the chair sat up straight, crossing one leg over the other and tried to flick his hair out of his face without using his hands, "Well, color me impressed, my homecoming has prompted a visit from The Boy Who Lived."

Harry walked in, keeping his head down and his hands in his pockets, "Yeah, yeah, played out joke. You're not special. Tell us about the letter."

"Aren't you going to read Scabior his rights first?" he licked his dry cracked lips while looking at Hermione up and down.

"I did that already." Hermione spoke up, "But you probably don't remember because you were unconscious. Answer the question, please."

Scabior tilted his head back and chuckled to himself, "_Please?_ My, my, my. You hear that, Scabior? Little girl finally learned some manners."

"One should return the favor," She said sweetly, "please tell us what you know about the letter."

He moved his head back and forth to a slow rhythm, "She says please. Oh, but that isn't enough for Scabior. **I want to hear you beg.**" He growled through his teeth animalistic like, with saliva forming on the edges of his mouth.

Harry picked up on Scabior talking in third person, "Unless Scabior wants Harry Potter to shove his wand down his throat, he'll answer the bloody question."

Hermione shot Harry a look, "We know Alastor-"

Scabior lunged from his seat, or at least attempted to, but it was bolted to the floor and his wrists were magically restrained. "_Don't speak his name!"_

"Then tell us what you know." Harry demanded.

"I was trying to deliver the letter. Scabior tried. Scabior did as told." He started to rock back and forth in his chair, looking down to a spot on the table with unfocused eyes. "No matter what, he says. Scabior was good."

Harry stood up straight and crossed his arms again, "Sorry to be the one to break it to you, but this Son of the Morning fellow is dead. Severus Snape died in the war."

Scabior let out a twisted giggle, _"The same war that I died in?"_

"You have 30 minutes to tell us all you know before you get throw in Azkaban until your trial. Right now, your trial just got pushed back six weeks. You really want to make this harder on yourself? I can push it back eight weeks." Hermione held her hand out and a scroll magically appeared above her hand. Having summoned his paperwork, she unrolled it and summoned a quill as well.

Knowing that he would be put in solitary confinement until his trial, "Wait!"

"Talk."

"The Son of the Morning lives. Scabior was trying to deliver letter." He said again.

"I find that really hard to believe, Scabior. If that were the case, why did you have his wand and his mask?" Hermione asked him. She was now sitting down at the table across from him. Her quill in hand and parchment full of notes in front of her.

"How else was I supposed to find him?" he asked her with a serious tone.

"You try looking in his grave?" Harry said sarcastically.

With an enthusiastic nod he replied, "That's where Scabior got them from."

Harry and Hermione looked at each other suddenly, a mental red flag popping up. They made no comment but continued the questions. "Why did you take them?"

"How else was Scabior supposed to deliver it?"

Hermione shook her head as she started to jot down some notes, "How do you know he's alive? He died in the Shrieking Shack. We saw it with our own eyes."

"Just like you saw Scabior die on that bridge?" his smile vanished, a firm scowl set in place and the corner of his mouth went up as he spoke with a less formal accent, "Your silly little Order could never keep track of us. Not even your own spy. Everyone had an exit plan, Potter. You were fed what you were needed to at the right time."

Scabior continued, barring his teeth as he spoke, "Do you know what that name means, Potter?" His eyes shot to Hermione next, "What about you, girlie?"

"We know people were afraid of him."

"Were?! Naïve of some, foolish of others and dangerous for all."

Hermione put her quill down, "You're telling us that he faked his death, just like you did. Then how did you get caught and he didn't?"

"Scabior wouldn't have been caught if he had the same blood as Son of the Morning." He said angrily, his demeanor changing drastically once more.

Hermione's hands formed fists, her curly hair frizzing and reacting to the static charge of magic around her. How dare he throw her blood status in her face when she had just best him in duel the day before! Harry noticed it immediately, her temper was going to hit critical unless he stepped in. She had to know that it was obvious his mind was gone from his previous years in Azkaban and on the run.

"What do you mean his blood? His blood status as a half blood? That's counterintuitive of what your whole organization was about." Harry rolled his eyes.

Scabior bend his head down, smiling and looking down at his hands, "Oh no… no… no…. the fire cleansed his impurities. The Dark Lord made sure of that."

Hermione sighed and looked up at her partner, "There's no point in talking to him, Harry."

"The Phoenix is reborn from the ashes, but the dragon… the dragon is death incarnate." Scabior whispered as he leaned in across the table, as much as his restraints would let him.

There was a swift knock on the door before it opened, "Ma'am, Sir, he's scheduled for side along to Azkaban."

Scabior started to kick and scream, "NO! SCABIOR WON'T GO BACK THERE! TELL THEM I HELPED! TELL THEM SCABIOR DID AS HE SAID!"

"See you at your trial in eight weeks." Hermione said and she stood to leave.

"I can prove it!"

Harry held his hand up to the waiting guard, "Last chance."

"What do you know about the masks of the inner circle?"

"Pretend I don't." he replied impatiently through grit teeth.

Scabior licked his lips and looked from Harry to Hermione, "When the Death Eater dies, as does the mask. If he were dead, why hasn't his mask turned to dust?"

As the guard walked him out he spoke again, "You tell him that Scabior did good, yeh? That Scabior tried his best."

"Tell who?"

In a whisper, "_The Legal Assassin."_

* * *

Harry and Hermione returned from the interrogation and were greeted by Bill and Fleur Weasley at his desk.

"Bill?" Hermione happily shouted and hugged him.

Bill returned her hug and then greeted and shook Harry's hand. "Great to see the two of you."

Hermione then let out a happy shriek and placed her hands on Fleur's swollen belly. "Oh my goodness, Fleur. No one told me you're pregnant again. How far along are you?"

Fleur smiled and blushed. "I am five months. Another girl. We're naming her Dominique."

Hermione happily exhaled. "That is wonderful and your English has gotten so much better."

"Merci, Hermione," she replied. "So when can we expect children from you and Harry?"

Hermione and Harry looked at each other in shock. To change the subject, harry turned to Bill and asked, "What brings the two of you here?"

Bill nodded. "We were informed that you received a letter that may contain unknown magic. So they sent use here in the event it's cursed so that we can remove it if necessary."

With that, Harry set the envelope down on his desk and he and Hermione stepped away. Bill and Fleur took turns casting spells on the envelope. They watched as it repeatedly flashed from the spells and then sat normal. After a few more minutes, Bill and Fleur holstered their wands and Fleur shrugged. Knowing what that meant, Harry was relieved.

"Good news. There is no dark magic or curses on that envelope. The only thing I could find was that it has an enchantment that makes it so the letter can only be read using another object that was enchanted by the same spell."

"What is the other object that is enchanted?" Hermione asked.

"Not sure," Fleur answered. "The most I can tell you is that the spell we used to detect it, will last for one more hour. The other object will also be glowing orange."

"Well we must be off. Fleur needs to eat and then we're due to be at St. Mungo's this afternoon," Bill said and shook their hands.

Harry thought for a minute. "Having the baby checked on while you're here in London?"

Fleur giggled. "No. You remember my sister Gabrielle?" she asked and Harry nodded. "She recently finished schooling to become a Healer and was accepted at St. Mungo's. She's being sworn in today. We'll tell her you say hi."

Once Bill and Fleur exited the department, Hermione said she would be right back and quickly ran towards the evidence storage. She returned with a box that had Scabior's name on it. She set it down on Harry's desk and looked back at her.

"What is all this then?" he asked.

"Scabior mentioned he had other items that belonged to the Son Of The Morning. Which means they were confiscated when we caught him. This is the box that has Scabior's property. Luckily, Hawkins and Sutton just finished processing it. I am more than certain that the other item is in here."

Harry smiled. "You're always a step ahead. I love that about you."

Hermione tried to hide the blush that crept up her cheeks. "Flirt with me later," she teased. "We have very little time to get through this and find that item.


	5. Chapter 5

**Disciple-****AN: I apologize for the lack of updating with this story. It was unintentional. However we are back and at it again. Back in the swing of the wands and should be updating more.**

**SOTM- my fault with lack of updates. Going through some personal shit.**

* * *

"Here's your ticket, Sir."

Harry took the little yellow stub from the man behind the gated counter, "Thanks, Ben. Give the wife my regards."

The older blonde-haired man named Ben nodded his head, "Will do, you keep catching them Dark Wizards for us, eh?"

"I'll certainly give it my best." Harry smiled and grabbed the box of evidence he was checking out. Turning to Hermione he said, "So… my place or yours?"

Without looking up from her little notepad, "Or Kingsley's place." He nearly dropped the box of crucial evidence. "That was a joke, Potter. Whichever you prefer, I just figured that Gin wouldn't appreciate us taking over your living room again."

He gripped the box tighter, keeping his head forward as they made their way over to the elevators, "Yeah about that…"

Hermione stepped in before him, giving him a questioning look. He slid the wrought iron doors shut and quickly hit the lever. Now that they were alone, he spoke, "I moved back into Grimmauld Place."

Her eyes widened, trying to find the words to say, "Wow. Uh, okay I guess you guys are taking things in stride and I guess our talk that night helped you." Hermione tucked her hair behind her ears and looked down at the passing glares of light shine through the doors as they rode up to the main lobby.

"I live alone." Harry stated plainly.

"Wot?" she did a double take.

He shrugged and shifted the weight of the box, "Your talk did help after all. We've been broken up since."

"That's great! I meant that our talking helped you." Her jaw dropped, realizing her mistake, "Oh no- not that you two split up. That's terrible. I didn't mean-"

Harry started laughing, "You should see your face."

She hit him on the arm, "Harry! Don't say things that aren't true. You made me feel terrible."

"I wasn't lying." He gave her a small smile and stepped out of the elevator.

Following him out the elevator, they crossed the perfect black marble floors to the apparition point. "Well, glad to hear that I helped you guys sort things out."

Waiting in line to apparate out of the Ministry, he leaned closer to her, "I wasn't lying about any of it. Side along if you don't believe me."

"Harry, wait!" He was next in line and she rushed forward and grabbed his arm as he spun them both to his home.

* * *

Hermione squinted her eyes as the sun blared down on them, she looked around to a very depressing looking garden. The shrubs had taken over and it looked like Devil's Snare was starting to make some headway near the small fountain of Cornish Pixie's having a water fight.

"Where are we?"

Harry handed her the box of evidence, "Like I said, Grimmauld Place. Hold this while I get the door, will you?"

"Is this the garden? I've never seen this before."

"Well, the front door is pretty much out of commission after… you know. I don't have the floo set up here yet. Not sure if I will at all, to be honest. I hate unexpected visitors. Ron found out the hard way to announce himself first." He said as he pulled his wand out of his sleeve and started adjusting the wards to accept her. "Congratulations, Mione. You're the only other person alive who is granted full access to the ever-desolate Estate of House Potter."

Hermione's mouth opened and closed a few times, trying to gather her thoughts before blurting out a series of questions that had no order. She had been working on not being typical Hermione since a coworker pointed it out to her. "Harry…"

Knowing his friend for years, he knew how to handle her ever inquisitive mind, "Well, Bill helped me set the wards and moving the apparition point from the front step to here in the garden. I'm not as young as I used to be, Mione. I nearly slipped on the ice this past February."

"February?! What happened? I wasn't gone that long, was I?"

He took the box from her and set it on one of the stone tables that was covered in algae and dirt. "He was over helping with chasing out some old boggarts when we found this on accident. Didn't know Grimmauld had a garden. Don't think Sirius knew about it either. The door was behind the bookshelf in the library of all places. Bill accidentally kicked open my quidditch gear and the bludger shot out and blew a hole right through."

When he heard her gasp, he quickly added, "The books are fine, Mione. I swear."

She clicked her tongue, "That's not what I was getting at, but glad to hear it all the same. I'm shocked to find out about this; months after the fact. Harry, you know you can come to me at any time for anything. What happened with Ginny? Are you alright?"

He shook his head solemnly, pushing his glasses up the bridge of his nose, "I've learned two things in life. Don't speak ill of the dead and don't speak ill of ex-girlfriends."

"But- "

"Want to talk about you and Ron breaking up?"

"NO." she huffed. "Point made, Potter. I just wish you would have come to me if you needed a place to stay. I know you hate it here and I don't particularly like that you're here, let alone… well, _alone_."

"I know, and for that I'm sorry. Some things just need to be dealt with alone. Just do me a favor and not tell Ron."

"You mean to tell me, that your best friend doesn't know you broke up with his little sister?" she said with a quirked brow. "And moved out of your apartment? How?"

"Same way he doesn't know that you and Viktor had a fling last off season." Harry shot back.

"Lips are shut as tight as Gringotts" she made the hand motion of a lock and key by her mouth, "Post Golden Trio break in Gringotts. Naturally."

"Let's get in then, it'll be dark soon and we have nothing on this case yet."

* * *

Hermione was sitting at the desk in the corner while Harry was standing at the chalkboard nearby. The board itself was obviously stolen, or as Harry told it, borrowed from the Ministry. They put their logos on everything. All their case findings thus far were magically stuck to the board or written around it.

"I'm still not sure why I'm the one up here. My writing is horrid." He said as he wiped away a work for the 2nd time.

"My feet hurt." She mumbled through a full mouth. She had her quill in between her teeth as she tried to pin her hair up on top of her head. "I just spent a month trekking through half of Germany. Besides, from what I head you've been taking desk cases. Get that blood flowing, Potter."

"Yes, Ma'am." He snorted and stepped back from his work while dusting his hands off on his pants. "Alright… want to do the honors?"

Hermione got up and stood next to him. Holding her trusty notepad, her favorite quill he gifted her this past birthday, she took a deep breath before speaking, "We have a known follower of Voldemort, lead snatcher named Scabior."

Harry pointed to his mug shot, "Caught by the brightest witch of her age."

Smirking, but ignoring his comment, "On his persons we have the following evidence: Scabior's wand."

Harry moved over to the box of evidence, "Check." He placed it on the desk.

"Snape's wand."

"Check."

"Snape's Death Eater mask."

"Check."

"Weird letter."

"Cheee…. Hold on." He looked through the box but found nothing.

Hermione snickered, "I have it, Harry."

Letting his shoulders slump, he looked at her over the rim of his glasses. "Really? I thought I almost lost this case and my job."

She pursed her lips and tilted her head up, "Well you had me thinking that I ruined your relationship and got you kicked out of your flat."

"Technically speaking-" he stopped his sentence in his tracks when she shot him an angry look. "Moving on… What do we know about the letter?"

She stuck it to the middle of the board wandlessly, "Addressed to a 'Son of the Mourning' from a 'Legal Assassin.'"

Harry stood next to her with his arms crossed and shaking his head. "What a shame."

"What's that?"

"They have such cool names that I bet they picked out themselves." He nodded his head towards the letter. "I got stuck with the lame names. You know that people still call me 'The Boy Who Lived'? I'm a man now, can I get something cooler?"

Hermione quirked a brow, "Like what, The Man Who Hit Puberty? Seems rather long, doesn't it?"

Harry narrowed his eyes at her, "Har Har. Continue."

Biting her lip to keep her giggle contained, she turned the page in her notepad, "What do we know about the letter?"

Harry moved to the board, pointing to the checklist written under Scabior's smirking mug shot, "He survived the war. Not sure how yet. Don't really care either…"

"_Harry."_

"What? That's not our job. That case is assigned to Auror Knight." He put his hands up in defense, "Look, if it ties into the letter, we'll go down that road. Right now, we have to stay on track."

"Oh alright. Carry on then." She sighed and waved her hand.

"He claims to have gotten Snape's wand and mask from his grave, but we know that it's empty. Well, not empty, but you know these things weren't in there." He was about to continue until she made a noise in the back of her throat.

"Do we though?" she looked up at him. "I know it was empty, well… at least that's what the public knows. How do we know it wasn't tampered with after the fact?"

"Who would want to tamper with an empty grave? Who would want to put something in it, just to take it out?" he scratched his head and looked up at the board.

Hermione bit her lip and looked at her notes, turning the pages back and forth, "What if… what if it's not a grave?"

"You lost me."

"What if we see a grave but someone else sees a safe place to keep things? Who would look for anything in a grave?" she started.

"Uh… Voldemort." He gave her a look as if to say, 'Are you seriously forgetting about that?'

"He had a point, Harry. What do we know about the Death Eater masks? They turn to dust when their owner passes away. It was proven when – you know!" She explained.

They hated talking about the war. To others or each other. It was always the elephant in the room that neither of them liked to talk about. They dealt with it enough when the public and papers questioned them.

"I know where you're going with this and I don't like it. Let's move on." He turned back to the board. "Scabior claims that this _Legal Assassin _fellow is the one who told him to deliver the letter to the Son of the Morning."

Hermione waved her wand at the board, scribbling her thoughts as Harry followed along. She wrote _'Alastor "Mad Eye" Moody' _below '_Legal Assassin' _and the same for Son of the Morning. The letter was stuck in the middle of the board with lines connecting to it.

"Ready to go over the timeline?" She asked. Seeing him nod his head he pulled out his wand while she pulled out her quill.

As she spoke, he waved his wand at the board. "I really wish you would have reminded me that I'm a wizard and can do that too. Instead, you let me look like a prat and write it out long hand."

A long line formed at the top of the board, going across it horizontally.

"I like making you put in the work, Potter." She winked at him, making him blush and cough awkwardly. "Alright, Mad Eye died the night of July 27th, 1997. Then the war ended 2nd of May 1998."

"Same night Snape died." Harry added verbally and to the board.

"And Scabior." She murmured. "Then we have the letter dating 22nd of December 1998. Well after both men are deceased. Yesterday we pull the letter off Scabior who claims that Mad Eye sent him to deliver the message to Snape… and that's about where we lose it all."

Harry crossed his arms, twirling his wand between two fingers as he looked at the board. "Well one thing is for sure. We can cross Mad Eye sending that letter off the list. He's confirmed dead."

Hermione made that noise in the back of her throat again, making Harry look down at her, "Come on, Mione. You aren't going to say we need to go to his grave, too are you?"

"It's plausible. We thought Scabior was dead this whole time and he's lost his mind. You really think it's out of the realm of possibility that two highly trained and powerful wizards wouldn't know how to cheat death?" she turned to face him head on with her hands on her hips. "Mad Eye had an empty grave as well. Just as the public was informed."

Harry pinched the bridge of his nose, "Please tell me this isn't leading towards Zombies."

"What? Who do you think I am, Ronald?" she said defensively.

Harry put his hands together and bowed his head, "You're right, I'm sorry."

"Just open the letter, Potter."

Harry walked up and pulled the letter off the board. Flipping it over in his hands while walking back to the desk. Grabbing the letter opener, he tried to wedge it under the flap. Grunting in frustration, he tried to use his fingernail to peel it back. Nothing changed, it was like scratching at a smooth surface.

"Any time, Harry." Hermione.

"I'm bloody trying!" he said as he tried the ripping method near a corner.

She huffed impatiently before snatching it out of his hands, "They said there were no curses or spells. We had to use another object to read it, Bill didn't say anything about not being able to open it.'

She placed the letter on the center of the desk and waved her wand over. The letter fluttered but did not open. She tried several more spells that she had in her arsenal and nothing happened. Harry stood on the other side of the desk with his arms crossed.

"You think it's the same kind of magic that Dumbledore used with that Snitch? Remember?" he suggested.

Biting her lip, she grabbed Snape's wand and waved it at the letter. Again, nothing happened. "I don't think so. It would have reacted to the magic of his wand, regardless of the holder."

Harry looked over her shoulder back at the board, "Wait a sec… what if…. What if it wasn't Mad Eye that gave Scabior the letter?"

Looking over her shoulder, Hermione tried to see what he was looking at, "Meaning….?"

He rounded the desk and crossed the room, "Remember Barty Crouch Jr.? What if it's another impersonator?"

She tilted her head, looking off in the distance for a moment before catching what he was saying, "You think someone is trying that again? Why?"

"Think about it, Hermione. Scabior was afraid of Legal Assassin. Even Kings said that he was feared by everyone. This person would have to have known that and used it to his advantage."

"What would they gain?"

"Flushing out deserters, Death Eater enthusiasts, trying to bring Voldemort back." He said seriously as he gripped his wand with white knuckles.

She crossed the room, reaching out to put a hand on the center of his back. When she felt him tense, she wrapped her arms around his middle from behind, "I'm here, Harry."

Taking a few deep breaths, he put his hands over hers, "I know."

She pulled away, much to his disappointment, "We can't read the letter, we have no further leads. You know what we have to do don't you?"

Harry turned to see the hesitant look on her face, "Don't say it."

"So… I think it would be better from you actually." She winced as she spoke, scrunching her nose.

"I hate it when you do that. " He lied. He loved it.

"It's just that your history with him… and you know… your mom-"

"_Fine._ You're writing the damn report though."

* * *

Harry knocked on the door to Kingsley's office. He waited for the door to open before he entered. Once inside the office, Harry sat down in front of Kingsley's desk. Kingsley finished writing on the piece of parchment in front of him before he looked up at Harry. Harry nodded in greeting. His boss leaned forward with his hands together.

"Potter. How is the investigation going?" he asked.

"That's what I'm here to discuss actually. There's been a development, but it requires approval for something I normally would never ask for," Harry answered, tapping his fingers on the arm of his chair nervously.

Kingsley cocked his head. "Approval to do what exactly?"

Harry sighed. "We discovered there is more evidence that will tell us more about the Son of The Morning. Only problem is," he began but was cut off.

"Is the location?" Kingsley asked. "You need the approval to access it?"

Harry grimaced, "Kind of. We need the approval to... exhume a grave."

Kingsley leaned back in his chair pinching the bridge of his nose. "Merlin's beard! There better be good cause. That's a lot of authorization to have to get."

"According to the research done and clues in the letter," He paused and added under his breath, "or lack thereof…" he picked back up, "The Son of The Morning might be alive as well as the Legal Assassin. The clue to their living status should be... buried with... the... Son of The Morning," Harry answered hesitantly.

"You have got to be kidding me! You not only the approval to exhume a grave but to exhume one buried on **Hogwarts grounds**?" Kingsley nearly shouted and Harry slowly nodded his head. "What do you mean "_lack thereof"_ you either have the them or you don't!"

"We tried looking through the evidence and exhausted every bloody option to find another way to secure the truth. There aren't any. We can't open the letter!" Harry put his hands up. "Scabior said he got the wand and the mask from Snape's grave. You and I both know what was buried there and neither of those items were included. It was a private service that was limited to only members of the Order."

Kingsley looked down at his lap. "It's not the Ministry you have to be worried about, Potter. It's the Headmistress."

Harry's green eyes widened, his brows disappearing into his hair line, stammering he replied, "The- the… you mean- McGonagall?" He'd completely forgotten that he had to deal with his Transfiguration Professor and Head of House.

Kingsley curled a lip at Harry angrily, seeing that he forgot that Hogwarts was no longer and will ever be governed by the Ministry again, "I will put in the request for authorization. You will receive an owl with the answer. _Now get out!_"


	6. Chapter 6

**Disciple author note: Give it up to Son Of The Mourning for taking the reigns with this chapter. I just became a homeowner and got settled in. During that time I simply advised while she wrote this chapter. Thank you for staying with us so far. Next chapter will be interesting.**

**SOTM- I'm giving it all shes got captain.**

**Doing a podcast about our writing and shit. Will post the links in our profile description. Let us know by reviewing what you want to know from us on our writing, plots and ideas and what we have planned next.**

* * *

Hermione was waiting for him by the elevators, "Well?"

"Well…" he began awkwardly. "It wasn't a no."

"But it also wasn't a yes, I'm assuming?" she cringed as she spoke.

Shaking his head, Harry replied, "We're on a pending status, I would say."

"Pending on what?"

"The Headmistress." He stated, watching her face go through the realization of how serious this became. "You also have to write a letter as well. Explaining the situation without discussing details of the case."

She took a steady breath to try and calm herself, "Okay… wait, me? What do you mean me, Harry? Did Kingsley say that?"

"Well, no. But let's face it, it's the best way to go about this. You're McGonagall's favorite." He shrugged and looked at his boots.

She didn't accept that answer, "I'm her favorite? Seriously? You're Harry Bloody Potter."

"And you're the brightest witch of her age." He countered.

"You're the boy who lived."

"I'm the boy who _lived_ to be a pain in her arse." He corrected her.

She paused in thought, "Perhaps it is best I write the letter. So what do we do in the mean time?"

Harry sensed her bubbling with anticipation, she knew what was coming. Something he wasn't particularly fond of. "I guess we could start with the archives."

"Excellent idea, Harry!" Hermione's smile went from ear to ear. Her happiness from going to familiar territory as well as seeing the discomfort written plainly on Harry's face. Pay back for all of those quidditch practices that could have been spent studying.

He started to slowly back away from her, "Alright then. You go ahead and jump on that and I'll-"

Catching on to his usual attempt at getting out of research, "_Harry."_

"You're right, it would be rude of me not to at least escort you there." He tried to recover, smirking at her as he played it out.

She crossed her arms, raising a brow at him, "_James."_

He pointed over his shoulder to the cafeteria, "Okay, well how about I get us something to eat and I'll meet up with you-"

"_**Potter.**_"

"Yes Hermione." He gave up at the sound of her final warning.

* * *

Walking beside her with his head hanging, they both smirked at each other when heir eyes met. Eventually breaking out in full blown laughter as they rubbed arms while walking down the corridor.

"Hey, what's so funny?"

They jumped further apart at the familiar sound of their friend's voice. Ron was walking down another corridor and caught them as they passed. "Oh, good afternoon Ronald." Hermione greeted.

"Hey, Mate." Harry replied. "How's your case coming along?"

He perked up at the question, "It's wicked! I've already gotten to meet with the game commissioners. You know that even though Ludo Bagman is retired from announcing he still holds a chair? Bloke's hauling in tons of bloody royalties!"

"Ron! You can't be giving us case details!" she warned.

He put his hands up, "Oh come on Mione, that's for other Aurors."

Harry rubbed a hand over his mouth before speaking, "Actually Ron, it's for all Aurors."

"Hey where you two headed off to? Reckon we skim off a bit early and hit the pub?" Ron suggested and hit Harry lightly on the bicep.

Both of them awkwardly looked away and thought up of excuses, "It's really not a good idea to be drinking on the case. Nor the clock for that matter."

He nodded at Hermione, "You're right. What was I thinking? I havent spent proper time with my girl. Sorry Harry, can't hang tonight. Gonna take her-"

Sensing Hermione's discomfort, watching her fidget and wrap her arms around herself when Ron moved closer to her, Harry spoke up, "Actually Ron, we can't hand with _you._ We've gotta go to he archives and get started on our report. Gotta win those quidditch tickets, ya know?"

Not waiting or their oblivious redheaded friend to respond, Harry pulled Hermione with him towards the Hall of Archives.

* * *

They sat at the large table in the back of the hall, numerous stacks of books surrounding them. Both had their heads buried in their respective books and worked in comfortable silence. Every so often they would reach for their quill and quickly scribble down notes in their case journals.

"Alright, want to go over what we have so far?" Hermione looked up at Harry.

He started stretching, putting his arms high above his head and leaning back, "Yeah, my eyes are about done for today. You want to start off?"

She pulled out her wand and waved it above the air between them idly, casting a silencing charm for security. "Going off of what Scabior said… he asked us if we knew what the name meant."

"I guess we still don't then. I couldn't find a single thing about the name, 'Son of the Morning.'" Harry rubbed the back of his neck.

"Legal Assassin either," She agreed, "Nothing in any of the reports around the time of that letter or during the first war."

Leaning back in his chair, Harry stretched, "Should we start on prophet articles next then?"

Hermione sighed, "I guess so. I hardly think we'll find anything though."

Pulling a pile towards them, he fought a yawn, "Why's that?"

"Both men were good at what they did." She continued to explain as she pulled one of the papers from the stack, "Snape was a spy for most of his life. He hid his true intentions from Voldemort until the very end. If the man is alive after all this time, he's fooled us all even to this day. Same goes for Moody. He believed in constant vigilance and though the man was brash, he kept his cards close and his secrets closer."

"Secrets?" he quirked a brow.

"The list of what we know about Moody is shorter than the man's temper. You've read his file Harry. There's nothing in there other than 'He's the best we got and he retired this date due to death. Maybe.'" She ranted sarcastically, making Harry snort. "We don't know anything about the man! We've met him but we couldn't even tell what kind of man he was due to Crouch Jr. impersonating him."

"We have to have something, Mione." He rolled his eyes.

She shoved the files over to him, "Look for his date of birth, Harry. What about his wand metrics, Hogwarts house and graduation date? We don't have a hire date listed either. It's like he's always existed and been with the Ministry since the dawn of the department's opening."

Harry flipped the file open, "It's not even redacted. It's just not there. Not even his height's listed for Circe's sake."

"Now you see my frustration? I research, Harry. That's what I do. I don't know where to start with either of them."

A small white envelope with a red Hogwarts seal fluttered into the room and landed on the table between them. Harry's eyes went wide and he scooted back from it, "It's not addressed to anyone. You open it."

She gave him an annoyed look, "Constant Vigilance, really Harry?" She opened the small letter and pulled out a small piece of parchment.

"Well?" he asked curiously.

She passed the parchment over to him, "Well at least now we know where to start."

'_**My office. Now.'**_

"It's like I can hear her voice in my head." He cringed.


	7. Chapter 7

**Disciple ****A/N: Sorry it took so long to update this. I shared in some of the ideas for this scene, I think... but SOTM wrote it. Collaboration returns next chapter**

**SOTM- I'm making things more complicated with this than it has to be... but for the sake of what we plan to be a damn good story, the show must go on.**

**We dont get paid, but reviews keep us going.**

* * *

Hermione had been sent through the floo first, after Harry's very insisting 'Ladies first' comments. In truth, he was afraid of being turned into an hourglass for wasting the Headmistress' time. Upon arrival they were greeted by a familiar spectacle covered scowl.

"Hello Professor," Hermione greeted first.

Harry stepped by her side, "Ma'am."

"It's been sometime since you two were under my charge. You may call me, Minerva." She corrected.

He shook his head, "No offence, but I went through too many years of your teaching to not call you Ma'am."

Her stone expression finally cracked, "Very good, Mr. Potter. Have a biscuit." She waved her hand and a small covered platter appeared at the corner of her desk.

He smiled and stood up a bit straighter as he stepped forward, "Thank you."

Once his hand was in the small box of cookies the lid suddenly slammed shut on his fingers, trapping it in the box. Aged slender fingers keeping the force down to keep him there. Harry looked up to the familiar face of lost house points past.

"Tell me, Mr. Potter…." Her voice was calm. "Why you want to disturb the dead." Her tone changed, the Scottish temper appearing, "Let alone that of the most deserving of peace!"

Hermione spoke up first, "Professor, the Ministry has reason to believe-"

"Don't speak for Mr. Potter," she snapped.

"Snape's alive!" He choked out in panic as he finally pulled his hand out. "At least that's what Scab-"

"We can't discuss all the details of the case." Hemione cut in with a harsh look towards her partner. "But yes, there are claims that Professor Snape is alive."

She set the box of bait cookies back on the tray, "Pray tell who would claim such a thing?"

"A Death Eater named Scabior." He shrugged off Hermione's swat to the arm, "It's McGonagall. Besides, she won't give us access to the grave unless we give her good enough reason, you know that."

"All of this for a low ranked Death Eater who's been on the run since the final battle? I would hope both of you were wiser than that." She tusked.

Hermione's head shot back with the verbal blow to her ego, "_Ma'am?_"

She clasped both hands in front of her and looked down at both sternly, "Have you not considered this Scabior is perhaps someone who would gain favor from the papers?"

Harry came around first, "You're saying another Lockhart."

Hermione ignored him, she was offended, "Of course I considered it! I considered it the whole three months I worked the case, the five weeks I spent tracking him through Germany in the wettest months, and as I dueled him against the slew of unforgivables cast at me during his arrest. During his interrogation, he was of no right mind to speak even in first person. I assure you, Scabior is not looking to make a few Knutss off publicity to add to his books in Azkaban."

Harry's eyes widened and he slowly shuffled his feet to where he wasn't standing between the two women, "I don't think that's what she meant…"

"If he's someone trying to lure the Golden Trio away from the Ministry to leave it unprotected?" McGonagall shot back.

"When_ isn't_ someone?" he realized his smart tone in error, "Ma'am."

Her lips pursed tightly before speaking, "Miss Granger, I had hoped that you had at least considered the timing of such claims."

Her face dropped, eyes widening and a pink tint on her cheeks, "I…"

"Timing?" Harry asked, looking to Hermione.

"She's talking about the elections." She cleared her throat.

"Has the Minister considered the uproar and slander this would cause?" she asked.

Harry rubbed his forehead out of habit, "That's why he was so upset…"

Hermione squared her shoulders and took in a deep breath, "The Minister has considered it, with upmost care. The same questions were posed, until new ones arose during review of the evidence."

Reaching into her bag, she pulled out the letter and gave it to her. The woman they held in such high regard, who had taken four stunners to the chest and lived, rallied the troops at the final battel and kept the Order together suddenly reached for her desk to steady herself.

"_Where did you get this?_"

Harry reached out to help her, walking her around to the large wingback chair behind her desk, "Scabior had it on him, said the Legal Assassin told him to deliver it to him. We understand Mad- I mean, Moody died July of '97 and Snape just five months before the date on this letter."

"Confirmed?" she meant the dates. He hummed and nodded. "The letter, may I?" She asked and flipped it over.

Hermione cleared her throat, "That's the thing, Professor. We can't open it. There's an enchantment on it, confirmed by Bill and Fleur Weasley. We were researching it when you called us. Scabior stated that he got two other objects from Professor Snape's grave, neither of which were buried with him."

Harry pulled the wand and the mask from his inner robes, placing them both on the desk before her, "These were on his persons, the wand matches Ministry records. The mask we still need to confirm."

"I can confirm that for you, Mr. Potter. I've held gaze to that unsightly monstrosity many times." she replied sadly. "Well then…" she looked down at the writing with the familiar names, "Apologies, Miss Granger. It seems the Minister has fully considered what publicity follows from these actions. Considering the two men on this letter, I understand the rising concerns of false idols."

Hermione noted what she said but didn't comment. Letting the other woman finish her thoughts. Harry remained silent, knowing better than to interrupt her during a lecture.

"After the war, I hoped to hear these two brave men made it out alive… but I hoped to never hear of the names on this letter again." she sighed heavily.

"So, you'll help us?" Hermione asked softly.

"I know as Aurors and the Ministry's best detectives you have to do your investigation, I shall not stand in your way."

"Thank you, Professor."

"I will assist you not only with the grave, but with your letter. On one condition. If in fact Severus Snape is alive, and I hope he is but not under these circumstances, leave him be." She sat up straight, "There has never been a man more deserving of peace."

"I know, I've seen the memories. My mother…" Harry cleared his throat awkwardly.

She gave him a sad look and shook her head, "Please understand that these names," she held up the letter, "these men are not the same men you know. They are completely different people."

Harry tilted his head slightly, "I'm sorry, I thought Son of the Morning was Professor Snape's other name…"

"She's saying they are different personas. Like Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde." Hermione explained.

Harry raised his brows, "I've read that one. It's more like Mr. Hyde and Mr. Hyde's bigger meaner brother."

McGonagall cleared her throat. "Understood," Harry said solemnly, understanding the pressures and undercover work that he had to do in the war.

She shook her head again, "I truly hope you do, Mr. Potter."

"So, the grave," Hermione pressed.

"Yes, here we are." She moved over to a stack of papers on her desk, signing it quickly and sealing the approval for their required grave digging. She waved her hand and the door to her office opened, "Hagrid will be escorting you; Professor Flitwick will be joining me in looking over these items."

Hagrid and Professor Flitwick entered the room awkwardly at the same time, both trying not to crush or get crushed by the other in the small doorframe.

"Who better than to assist with an enchanted item of the unknown than our own Charms Professor?" she stood as she greeted.

"Miss Granger, Mr. Potter, such a pleasure to see you again. It has been some time hasn't it?" he smiled warmly

"Filius, they are here on Ministry business that we could use your assistance with." She began to explain and motioned to the objects on the desk before her, "In regard to the late Professor Snape."

"I see," Flitwick's eyes went wide briefly, giving her a solemn nod, "It would be my pleasure to assist in any means regarding our missed Lord Prince."

"'Arry, Mione how you lot doin'?" Hagrid greeted, "Hear you came to see about some grave business?"

"Hello Hagrid, how are the pumpkins coming along?" Hermione smiled at him, giving him the queue to leave.


	8. Chapter 8

**disciple ****A/N: Good news and bad news. Bad news is, due to many personal issues, I will be stepping back as a writer on this story as I need to decrease the number of projects I am writer for. Son will be taking the helm solo until further notice. ****Good news is, I'm only stepping into the backseat and will still be driving Son insane with all the backseat driving I will be doing until I return the passenger seat.**

**SOTM- hope you Harmony fans are buckled in for some darker writing. Remember this story is part of an already existing massive WIP series. (Cuz my life isnt complicated enough) New story soon. This will be a solo project of mine and will be the final installment of the series. Which means two more stories coming soon aside from this and Aphelion. Why? Cuz all Dumbledore's are arseholes.**

**Cheers and reviews **

* * *

Hagrid lead Harry and Hermione to the grave of Severus Snape. Carrying his lantern to provide them light. They didn't want to hurt his feelings by using magic. Even after all these years, he hadn't changed. The large wrought iron fence that separated the graveyard from the rest of the school. It was on a small hill at the edge of the forest that overlooked the lake. The heavy gate groaned loudly upon their entry, further proving their trespassing was unwelcomed. The air cold yet stagnant, and the ground wet from earlier rains.

"There are a lot more graves than I remember," He mentioned.

She hummed in agreement, "Sadly, we couldn't make them all."

Harry recognized a tombstone with the name 'CREEVEY', "I'm certain they understand we couldn't rest or grieve. There were still Death Eaters about."

Hermione paused in her steps briefly, his words catching her off guard. She knew there was a change in him since dying in the final battle. He seemed more thoughtful in the ways he spoke of death.

"Here we are," he stopped in front of the lone stone tucked away in the corner under a large shady tree at the very top of the hill.

They stood at either side of it, respecting the ground before it as if a body lay to rest below. Harry waved his hand and a ball of light appeared before them, hovering over the grave between them, "Look, it's been disturbed. The grass is dead all around."

Hermione tossed her notepad and quill carelessly in the air beside her and quickly threw her hair up in a messy ponytail. Instead of falling to the grass, it righted itself to business position. She pulled out her wand, muttering a spell as she followed the rectangle outline of dead grass.

"It's recent," She commented as she turned to look at their larger friend, "Hagrid, you're the keeper of the keys…"

"Yes I 'ave, many a year now." He stated proudly.

She paused before speaking, thinking of who she was speaking to before going off on her normal tangent of questions, "Now I know you've seen some wild things over the years, especially since the war. But have you seen anything odd recently? Since the castle has been rebuilt."

He hummed in thought, they could see his beard twitching in the shadows of the lantern at his side, "Now that I think of it, I've been catching a lot more students out 'ere past curfew."

Harry looked around the graveyard, "Out here… you mean on the grounds? Near the pitch? Here in the graveyard?" He knew he had to be specific in speaking with Hagrid.

"'Ere at this grave." He pointed to the stone that bore the name:

**Potion Master  
Severus Snape  
Jan 9****th****, 1960 – May 2****nd****, 1998**

"Have you seen or caught anyone that didn't look like a student? Or acted out of the ordinary?" Hermione asked.

"No, just the Ravenclaws."

They nodded to each other and she waved her wand above the grave, muttering quietly as she moved the shifted dirt to a neat pile at the foot of the grave. Harry sent the ball of light into the grave, "Hold up. What's that?"

He jumped down, planting his feet firmly around something as the small light floated in front of him, "It's a scarf."

Hagrid huffed, "I didn't know Snape wore a scarf."

"It's not Snape's," Harry held it up to the light, showing a familiar purple scarf, "Hermione, this is yours."

"Well, shit." Her shoulders slumped in a very non-Hermione fashion. "That means he wasn't lying."

"Scabior took this from you the day we got caught. The day the snatchers-" he stopped immediately, not wanting to remember the day he was forced to watch her torture. "This means Snape's alive."

"What else is down there?" She asked, taking the scarf from him and running her wand over it.

Harry picked up the small dark wooden box, "Order of Merlin…" He handed it up to Hermione as he continued to look around. Harry turned to look, covering his eyes from the orb of light, "Can you imagine the chaos a bunch of loose nifflers would do in a graveyard?" he joked badly.

"Tha's a really good point, Harry. Really good…" Hagrid trailed off in thought of something he hadn't considered.

He climbed out with Hagrid's help, using his wand to banish the dirt and grass from his clothes. Hermione set the box on the gravestone and looked at it oddly, "It won't open."

They all stood baffled and annoyed, "Leave it to Snape to have a sticking charm on his box."

Hermione shook her head, "You mean Scabior. Remember Harry, he broke into it already."

"Right," Harry replied and felt slightly sheepish, "So what do we do now?"

"There has to be some way to get this opened. If Scabior could do it, no reason we can't," Hermione mused.

"Could he though? What if he couldn't get it open?" he looked at her and shrugged when he saw her questioning look, "Can't assume he was the one that did it, is all. Keep all options open- "

Hermione cut him off and pointed to Hagrid, "What did you mean when you said Ravenclaws? You don't catch any other house out here?"

Hagrid jumped a bit at her sudden outburst, "I catch a few of them a week coming out here. Always Ravenclaw."

"Why is that?"

"Prolly cuz of the riddle."

"Riddle? What riddle?" Harry said suspiciously. He hated that last name.

Hagrid walked around the headstone, lifting his lantern to show them the other side, "That riddle."

**Prisoned am I to this shell of the dust  
It speaks of only fiction that I could never trust  
Captured alive in this sinful estate  
Vexed am I to see I do the things that I hate**

Hermione read it a few times until she memorized it, the notepad taking it down verbatim, "Are you certain it's a riddle? It could be a poem, or a quote."

"Either way, I think we're done here." Harry shrugged and moved the dirt back in the grave.

Hermione bit her lip and looked over the notes taken, "I don't know, Harry but it confirms he is in fact alive."

"Is he the Son of the Morning you think?"

"Ya shou'nt know 'bout such things," Hagrid chimed in, shaking his head in disapproval. He remembered that name and what it meant.

Hermione sighed again. "I'm sorry but there is one more thing that Professor McGonagall told me to do. Hagrid, I'm sorry," she said and pointed her wand at him. "Obliviate."

* * *

Upon their return to the castle, they entered the Headmistress' office to see solemn faces. Both were standing over the objects with their wands out and various books opened across the desk.

Hermione walked up to the desk, standing between him and Flitwick, "What did you find, Professors?"

"Quite a bit, actually." Flitwick started, "The mask is required to read the letter."

"Great work! Now we have a lead," Harry smiled at the smaller man until he saw the grave look on his face.

"I'm afraid it isn't that simple, Mr. Potter." He further explained, "The mask is cursed. All Death Eater masks are in their own way, but this one is much different."

"You're talking about McNair's mask." Harry mentioned, "When it got stuck on that kid's head and suffocated him."

He hummed softly in agreement, "Yes, I'm sure as Aurors you know of the masks turning to ash upon their owner's death. This one seems to be under multiple enchantments…. and curses."

"Curses, Professor?" Hermione already had her notepad and quill at the ready. "As in multiple?"

"Yes, Miss Granger, as in more than one. It's hard to say which ones, though I can confirm it is required to wear if one wanted to read this letter." He pointed from the mask to the letter with his wand, making both float and glow the same red color briefly.

Harry leaned against the desk with both palms flat, staring at the mask intently, "Do we know if the curses are deadly? It sounds like a foolish question, but do we at least know what wheelhouse we are dealing with? I trust we can only expect the worst from a Death Eater mask, let alone one considered a traitor at the end of the war?"

Hermione turned to give him a concerned look, "You better not be thinking… Harry, we have to get this to the curse breakers at the Ministry."

"We don't have time and if Professor Flitwick can't break it or at least identify them, I hardly think the department will either. I won't let this get swept away in evidence to sit on a shelf." Harry scowled.

Minerva finally spoke, "I assume you found something at the grave?"

Harry gave Hermione a raised brow, "Go on, tell her."

Huffing and turning the pages in her notepad, she began, "Dead grass around the grave indicates that it's been tampered with recently. We also found the Order of Merlin placed at the time of the funeral…"

"But we can't open the box." Harry added as he placed it on the desk.

Hermione continued, "The grave has obviously been tampered with-"

"Tampered how? Are you speaking of the riddle?" She stood up straight.

"She meant the order of merlin, but you know about that? Why didn't you tell us?" Harry asked with a scowl.

"Honestly, I was too shocked with this letter. Also, we had figured it was done by an angry student. We tried to remove it, didn't work and our budget doesn't necessarily cover tombstone replacements." She explained. "Are you certain it was Scabior?"

"This was in there as well," Harry tugged at the scarf hanging out of her bag, "Scabior took this from Hermione when the snatchers got us. He was wearing it during the final battle."

Both Professor's gasped.

"I believe Scabior is telling the truth in that aspect," Harry said solemnly, "Do I believe he got the mask and wand from there? No, but it doesn't mean he wasn't looking for something else."

Flitwick finally spoke up, "That's impossible, we worked on the wards ourselves. No one barring the mark or dark magic can cross the wards."

Harry gave him a very "Hermione-esque" look over the rim of his glasses, "Seriously? Because that always worked in the past right? No offence Professor, but the wards couldn't even keep me out."

Hermione put a hand on his arm, "No, he's right. There's no way that Scabior or even Snape would get past the wards. Not unless someone let them in." she looked at Minerva.

"I assure you, Miss Granger. I have not let any dark wizards into the school grounds." Minerva said sternly.

"That's not what I meant, Professor." She put her hands up, "What if Scabior never left? After the final battle, I mean. He was last seen at the collapse of the bridge, what if he somehow survived the fall? There are so many caves in the cliffs. We know this because Sirius hid in them from time to time. What if you put the wards around him and he was already here?"

"Survive the fall how?" Harry asked skeptically.

"A shrunken broom in his pocket? Felix Felicis? I don't know!" she said defensively. "I'm just trying to make sense of things."

"If that's the case, does the same go for Snape? If he lived, I'm pretty sure he wouldn't come crawling back to his dungeons. Would the castle even let him after he left his post?" Harry argued, "Who's being ridiculous now?" he added, referring to their initial research conversations.

Flitwick held his hand up, "Mr. Potter, Miss Granger is bringing up good points. There are flaws in our defenses that must be re-evaluated."

Harry sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose, "I- you're right, Professor. Sorry."

"Well, what now?" Hermione looked at him.

"I put the mask on and you standby." He stood up straight and took a deep breath. "Unless you prefer, we do this back at the Ministry, Professor?" He looked at Minerva cautiously.

"I prefer you not to do it at all, but like your younger years, you won't listen. I'd much rather you do it under my supervision." She huffed, "Let me call Poppy for assistance."

* * *

He stood in the center of the now empty office. The furniture had been vanished to another part of the castle with the wave of Minerva's hand. Harry planted his feet wide and looked down at one of the many masks that haunted his dreams in his youth.

"Are you sure about this, Harry?" Hermione asked from a safe distance.

"Of course, it's how it's supposed to go innit?" he smiled at her, "I do something foolish and you document it for scientific purposes. We grab a bite to eat and you give me the 'in conclusion: I told you so.'"

"He's got a point." Minerva offered and placed her hand on the younger woman's shoulder.

"Yes, instead this time it's not on a quidditch pitch and I'm here for the firsthand foolishness." Poppy chirped.

Flitwick cleared his throat and held his wand up, motioning for everyone else to follow. Hermione had her wand out and her quill set to self-dictation, a fancy spell of her own making after the Rita Skeeter incidents.

Harry looked at Hermione one last time, "Here we go…" taking off his glasses and sipping them into his robes, he slowly lifted the mask to his face.

At first nothing happened, a moment went by and Harry suddenly gripped his head and fell to his knees. He clawed at the mask and knocked it off his head. Hermione rushed forward and put her hand on his shoulder.

"Cruciatus- should have known." He grunted and got back to his feet, "Now I know what I'm up against." He was panting, trying to catch his breath but he remained calm.

"Harry, you don't have to do this!" she fussed.

He wiped his brow with the back of his sleeve, "Yeah, I do."

Waving her away once again, he put the mask on and grit his teeth. The pain came harder than before, on a higher level of intensity. Now he truly knew what he was up against.

"THE LETTER!" He called out in pain as he tried to remain standing. He buckled to a knee and gripped the edge of the mask with one hand.

Flitwick rushed forward and held it up to him to read, but Harry couldn't open his eyes. They were clenched shut in pain.

"Open your eyes, Harry!" the smaller man called him by his first name, "Harry, you need to open your eyes and tell us what to do!"

With struggle he peeked a watery eye at through the mask, the letter opened on its own. Flitwick pulled out a slip of parchment and Harry knocked the mask off again.

"It's blank…" he said as he flipped it over and over.

As soon as the mask was removed, the parchment flew back into the letter and it sealed itself. Harry hung his head in defeat with both hands braced on the floor, "Can't be easy, can it?" Taking a few more deep breaths, "The pain… it get's worse each time."

"I think you should take a break, Harry. Ma'am tell him." Hermione was worried for him, she always was.

"At least a chocolate break and a breather, Potter." Poppy tusked.

He put a hand up, "I got it. Let's get it over with." He was sweating profusely now, shrugging off his robes and throwing them aside. "Professor, I need you to work quickly and put the parchment right here." He put his palm to the tip of his nose. "Make me read it. Got it?"

Flitwick nodded and rolled up the sleeve of his robes slightly, "When you're ready."

Harry screamed in pain this time, the white-hot pain starting at his temples. Flitwick quickly opened the letter and shoved it under his nose.

"I can't…. I can't…" Harry clawed at his face; the mask would not come off. He forced himself to open his eyes, teeth clenched shut and muscles spasming, "Rip… argh… left…."

"You can do this!" Flitwick hissed. Harry had never heard the gentleman speak like that before.

"Rip... it says Rip up the... leaves…" he struggled and carried on. Once he completed the letter the mask fell off and the letter sealed itself again.

Poppy rushed forward with a few vials and her wand at the ready, "Cruciatus curse is nothing to be fooled with, Potter. Take these," she pressed one to his lips and tilted his head back, forcing it down his throat, "Severus crawled back to the castle many times in worse condition. Learned to keep the muscled relaxers on hand quickly after that."

"Now we know how Scabior lost his mind…" Harry joked badly as she and Hermione helped him up and into an armchair.

She clicked her tongue, "That's not funny, Harry."

He ignored her, "What did we get?"

"Let's take a rest first-" she tried to say but Flitwick interrupted her.

He had her notepad and was reading it aloud,

**Rip out the framework leave no stone unturned  
Until my heart forgets all that my flesh ever learned  
Tear down the structure till nothing is left  
God deliver me from this body of death**

**12.22.98 Prince 3:02 3.7 ****57**

"Is that correct?" he handed him the notepad.

"Yeah, that's it. What do you reckon it means?" he handed it to Hermione, the expert in such things. "Think it's part of the one we found on the gravestone?"

She held it in front of her while still standing at his side, idle stroking his back in comfort still, "Seems like it… it's a riddle for sure, I just don't know where to start."

Minerva spoke up, "This one riddle, I cannot help you. The one on the grave however, I've known the man longer than anyone else. I know what it's referring to, yet I don't know how one would obtain it."

"Obtain what?" Harry asked suspiciously, thinking he had to do another painful exercise.

"The Bible."


	9. Chapter 9

**SOTM - As you know, I've taken over this fic from here and this is tying into a much larger picture/series. For those who are up to date on the other stories, I ask that you not post any spoilers that are TOO bad. But if you want to post something along the lines of "OMG i know what you mean!" and send me a message, you can do that. Just don't ruin it for anyone, okay?  
Anyway, I hope I haven't lost any of you Harmony shippers. I promise the pairing will build-up, but I'm a romantic who loves a slow burn. It's gotta make sense right? They can't just look up one day and say, "We're gonna be together forever." This will not be one of those fics. There is no light without darkness and Hermione hasn't figured out where the light switch is yet, ya dig?**

**So stick with me, and I promise you won't be let down. If you are, then kindly go read something else to your liking or write it your damn self. K?**

**Sweet dreams are made of reviews. Seriously, I post chapters faster if you do.**

* * *

"The Bible? Are you certain? Wizards don't believe in muggle religion." Hermione mused, "Let alone its existence."

Harry looked at Hermione from the armchair, still shaking from the aftereffects of the curse, "But he wasn't a wizard first, was he? He was a half-blood like us."

"It just seems really farfetched."

Flitwick looked like he wanted to add something, but he looked to Minerva instead. She gave him a small tight lip scowl and shook her head. She looked to the pair and said, "As I was saying, he was staff here, and we might not have been close, but one tends to notice things."

"What did you notice, Professor?" Hermione asked, her quill floating beside her at the ready.

Looking back at her colleague who gave her a begging look, she sighed and explained, "Severus was a good man, he truly was. He was complicated and frustrating, but he had no greater enemy than himself."

Hermione tilted her head in thought but continued to listen.

She took the other seat across from Harry and continued, "In his free time, he read. In the great hall, quidditch matches, staff meetings… he was always reading the same book."

"The bible," Harry confirmed.

She nodded, "Not just any bible, Mr. Potter. The Vulgate."

He gave her a confused look and tilted his head, "I'm afraid I don't know what that is."

"It's THE bible, Harry," Hermione cut in as usual with the answer, "There's the King James version, you know the one we learned about in school. Then there's the Vulgate, which is…. How do I explain…"

Flitwick jumped in, "The first translation of the word of God."

"I'm the only one in the room that didn't know that?" he looked around the room at their blank stares, "So what makes it special? It's old? Rare?"

Flitwick nodded, "Yes, as well as dangerous in the wrong hands. It's full of some very dangerous prayers, Mr. Potter. They're in Latin and easily transferrable to spell creation."

Harry laughed skeptically, "Dangerous prayers? Do you mean spells? From the Bible?"

"Yes, but these spells… these spells make Voldemort blush." Hermione explained, "That's why they rewrote it a hundred times to the current version we know today. They can't chance a Muggleborn reading it out loud in Sunday school and blowing up the steeple."

Harry looked at her with narrow eyes, "That was one time, and it was my Aunt."

Hermione suppressed a giggle and looked to Minerva, "Professor, do you know why he had such a forbidden book? Especially out in the open?"

"He was a Slytherin, he knew that some things were best hidden in plain sight. No one would ever ask Severus Snape of all people what he was reading and if they could peek at the pages." She scoffed and waved a hand dismissively.

"You did." Harry pointed out.

"There were times when he knew how to hide it," she smiled and the fond memories, "During the Triwizard tournament, he disguised the title or kept in his robes for protection. No matter what he did or where he was, he had that book."

"Do you know why?" Hermione asked.

Flitwick answered, "I once asked him why he chose that particular book. We were in the staff room, trying to escape another of Albus' forced festivities. He told me that he found it amusing, and when I asked how so, he said because Catholics believe in redemption."

"So, he liked it so much because it made him laugh?" Harry asked skeptically, "That doesn't sound like Snape."

Minerva shook her head, "He didn't just like it, Mr. Potter. He was obsessed with it."

Hermione looked over her notes, "If it meant that much to him, why wasn't it buried with him?"

"She said he carried it all the time," Harry said, "He must have had it on him when he died. Which puts us out of luck for figuring out this riddle."

"Not if he's alive, we might have a shot." She replied.

"I feel like this is a very small circle we keep coming around to." He sighed and leaned back in the chair, "If he's alive, he's got it with him. If he's dead, it's with him. Comes right back around to where the bloody hell is he?"

"He didn't take it with him that night."

Everyone paused and looked at the quiet voice near the fire they forgot about.

"I was there when he left," Poppy explained, "I went to aid Filius, and I met Severus in his rooms before he left. I wouldn't have noticed if he hadn't stared at it so long before leaving. It was sitting upon his desk."

Minerva gasped, "He left it?!"

Harry sat up quickly and locked eyes with Hermione. In unison, they perked up, "We have a lead!"

"We haven't been able to access his rooms, Mr. Potter."

"And we're back around the circle." Harry sighed in defeat and threw himself back on the chair.

Hermione scowled and rubbed her temples, "I know this may be a foolish question, but I've got to start with the basics. Even with your authority over the castle and its wards, you're unable to enter?"

"Correct."

"There a riddle on that door as well?" Harry asked with an annoyed tone.

"No riddle, but we don't know the password." The Headmistress stated, "Once they left his rooms, they were unable to access it again."

"What about the elves?" Hermione asked.

Minerva looked at her, curiously, "What about them?"

"Have they complained about being unable to access them for cleaning? Are they able to access it at all? Is the room connected to the floo network, even if illegally? An open window on the cliffside of the castle?" Hermione shot out a list long of questions. Her quill scribbling furiously on the pad, trying to keep up with her ever-moving thoughts. "If the new Potion's Professor is unable to use the rooms, where are they staying?"

"One question at a time, Miss Granger," Minerva put a hand up to slow her down, "The elves have brought nothing to my attention regarding such. I have no idea about the floo, I believe that is your job as Ministry employees to know, if not then find out."

"I'll check when we get back to the office," Harry offered.

"His rooms had windows, from what I remember from the very minimal time I have been during the years. Though I know not if they are open. I believe a quick broom ride around the grounds will do. Madam Hooch can provide the brooms if you need them. Though that won't be possible until morning. I'll not wake her at this hour if needn't be required."

"No need, Professor."

"Regarding Horace, he's taken up his old post and has taken up the smaller rooms down the hall from Severus'. Perhaps he may be able to provide some assistance or insight as to what the password might me. He has to walk past them every day." Minerva stated.

"Thank you, Professors," Hermione smiled softly, "your help has been of great assistance in this case. I believe it's time we go and check out his rooms if we're able to."

"Very well," Minerva stood to bid them goodbye, "Horace is usually up at this hour, do stop by and see him."

"Thank you, and if either of you has anything else to add, or remember later, please give us a Patronus." Harry smiled and held the door open for Hermione, "Either way, we will see ourselves out afterward. Thanks again, Ma'am."

Flitwick opened his mouth to speak, getting nudged by Minerva before speaking. "Oh… yes… well, goodnight then."

Once the door closed and the two Hogwarts Professors were alone, and the Medi-witch returned to her post, Minerva rounded on him.

"The Devil are ye' doing, Filius?!" She scolded angrily.

He got defensive, "I solved the case is what I did."

Looking at him hotly, he didn't back down. She thought long and hard about what he said, "Meaning?"

"You can't speak of the Prophet if you can't speak of the dead."

Her eyes widened as she fell back into her seat. She was speechless at first, then once able to find her tongue, "I… I'm sorry. I apologize for underestimating you, Filius. You are truly the smartest man I know."

"No, Minerva, I'm the smartest man _alive."_


	10. Chapter 10

***singing* if you think you solved the case clap your hands... if you think you solved the case leave a review**

* * *

They walked in contemplative silence to the dungeons they knew so well.

"Flitwick is hiding something," Harry said first.

She paused, forcing him to turn around, "What makes you say that?"

"He was hesitant the whole time. He had something he wanted to say. Something he wanted to tell us. Didn't you see the way McGonagall looked at him? She didn't want him to say something." He scowled and looked out the window to the grounds, his fists balled up at his side.

She put a hand on his arm, "This upsets you, more than it should."

He inhaled sharply, "Damn right, it does! I thought the lying was over! Now, this case just opened up a whole new mess of them."

"Harry, no offense, but this time it isn't about you." She said pointedly, "There's no more prophecies and no more 'Dark Lord' to take out."

"That we know of. You heard Scabior, the way he talked about him. What if this is Snape trying to come back as – as the new Voldemort!" He spat.

The nearby portraits gasped at the name. Shushing him or whispering amongst each other.

Hermione scowled at them, "Come, Harry. We mustn't discuss case details in an open area like this."

* * *

He knocked loudly on the Thick iron door that led to the current Head of Slytherin.

"Who could that be at this hour?" a familiar confused voice said on the other side of the door.

"It's Auror Potter and Granger, from the Ministry," Harry called out.

"The Ministry?" the door creaked open, "Oh! Harry Potter! Why didn't you say so! And Miss Granger, what a pleasant surprise, come in."

"Thank you, Professor." She gave him a small curtsey.

Professor Slughorn bowed and kissed her hand, "Miss Granger, my brightest student. I'm afraid you caught me reminiscing the old days, would either of you care for a drink? I've got a finely aged honey mead I just opened."

Hermione shook her head and gave him a smile. Slughorn looked to Harry and gave him a formal bow, "Lord Potter/Black, how may I be of assistance."

Harry hated when purebloods used titles on him. Since inheriting the Potter family fortune, he inherited the Black one as well. Being the only living heir on the Potter side, as well as Sirius leaving everything to him. Now the older purebloods and the Goblins at the bank call him Lord Potter/Black. He didn't mind until they told him he had to pay taxes for both vaults. Due to legality purposes and the chance that a missing heir may appear, he wouldn't be able to join the vaults until eighteen years after the death of Sirius. It was an old law, but apparently common enough in the wizarding world to remain in effect. Something about bastard children coming out of the blue for purebloods who were not keen on their contraception spells.

"Professor, thank you for seeing us so late." Harry gave a small bow in return, "We've come to ask questions about the late Professor Snape."

"Who?" he tilted his head and looked confused.

Harry was about to open his mouth and say something sarcastic, along the lines of 'You seriously don't know who the tall guy in black with a scowl was? How much have you had tonight?'

Hermione interjected, "Severus Snape."

"Snape? I'm afraid I don't know any Snape."

Harry mumbled to her softly, "Merlin, he's worse than Hagrid. Think age is getting to him?"

When he mentioned Hagrid, she had an idea, "But you know a Severus, sir?"

"Depends if it's the same Severus. The only one I know of is Lord Prince." He said and took a swing of his mead.

Harry was losing his patience; she could see that. He'd just gone through the cruciatus curse to get a riddle, and now there was a senile old man playing games with them. "Whatever. What do you know about him?"

Hermione put her hand on his arm and gave him a look, "Harry, perhaps you should let me ask the questions."

"What would you like to know?" Slughorn asked as he refilled his goblet.

"Whatever you do, do it fast before he can't stand up anymore," Harry said through grit teeth and stepped back with his arms crossed.

She turned back to their old professor, "What do you know about-

Something was wrong, she could see it in Slughorn's face when she looked at him. His face full of concern, "Lord Potter/Black, are you alright?"

Hermione turned to see Harry looking down at his shaking hands, his face going pale, and he was starting to sweat. "Harry!"

He collapsed before she could get to him. He was seizing and unresponsive, laid sideways on the rug and shaking. Slughorn made sure not to spill his drink before setting it down and moving to help. "Let's get him to the couch! Hurry, my dear!"

Slughorn sobered up relatively fast, acting immediately when he saw his prized pupil hit the floor. Hermione was a wreck, rolling him over and cupping his cheeks. His eyes were half opened, his glasses being knocked off in the fall and he was not responding. When they got him to the couch, Slughorn pushed her aside.

"What has he ingested in the last few hours?" he asked as he used his wand light to check his eyes and mouth.

Hermione ran her hands through her frizzled hair, "Uh…uh, potions! Madam Pomfrey gave him some potions for the cruciatus curse!"

He shook his head, "No… it isn't that. This is a side effect of something else…" he started to check Harry's pockets. Throwing everything out and onto the rug next to him.

He paused when he pulled Snape's Death Eater mask out and tossed it aside as well. Hermione was trying to speak to Harry, asking him what he took, but he was still unresponsive.

"You foolish boy!" he said angrily at Harry and shook something in his hands that rattled loudly at him. He rushed to his personal potions kit and began going through it quickly.

"What? What is it?" Hermione called over her shoulder, refusing to leave Harry in case he stopped breathing.

"You should do better to take care of him!" he yelled back as he began mixing different colored potions together in a small cauldron on the desk.

Hermione stood straight, "_Excuse me?_"

"Mr. Potter is on muggle anti-depressants. Mixed with ANY potion-"

"Is lethal." Hermione finished for him. Looking back down to her best friend, "Harry… why?"

Slughorn rushed back over, holding the cauldron in one hand, "Sit him up!"

Hermione did as told, pulling him to the sitting position and sitting on her knees behind him, holding his head steady with her left hand. "What is that?"

He held up a bezoar, "I've got to coat it with the same pills he took. His digestive system needs to accept it like it would a muggle pill."

He dropped it into the small smoking cauldron, hearing the 'plink' of it hitting bottom. He stirred it twice and lifted the small ladle. Picking it up carefully with his fingertips and holding it up, "Mouth open and head back. He'll try to reject it, you mustn't let him."

At first, she struggled with getting him to sit still. They worked together to get his mouth open. Once he dropped it in, she put a hand over his mouth and used her other to wrap tightly around his chest. She held him to her tightly and leaning him back with her on the couch.

"Grab his legs!" she yelled as she struggled to hold onto him.

After a few moments that felt like an eternity, his body calmed down and relaxed against her.

"'_Mione?"_

She didn't answer him; instead, she wrapped both arms around his head, suffocating him with her frazzled hair.

"I think I'll have that drink now, Professor," Harry said when she finally let him sit up again.


	11. Chapter 11

**sorry for the lack of updates, trying to stall and give myself as much time as possible to finish aphelion. i dont want to keep giving stuff away. although, those who read aphelion and speechless first do have a huge advantage over everyone who hasn't.**

**this plot keeps getting weirder, huh? **

* * *

"The only thing you'll be drinking Lord Potter/Black is water," Slughorn said and handed him a glass goblet.

Hermione finally stopped strangling him with her tight hug and bush hair, "Why didn't you tell me?"

He shook his head, "Not here, Mione." Harry took a few sips of the water and set the goblet on the side table beside the couch, "I apologize, Professor, I should have known better. Thank you for saving my life, I owe you one."

"I'm afraid it is I who still owe you, Lord Potter/Black." He bowed his head and placed a hand on his chest, "You are the reason many of us are still alive and liberated."

"Yes, thank you, Professor. It seems every time one of them comes down here, they end up being poisoned." She mused, thinking of Ron's story of foaming at the mouth on the same rug some years before.

Harry sat at the edge of his seat, "Professor… what can you tell us about him?"

"Why are you here?" he countered immediately without pause before sipping his mead.

"We need to get into Professor Snape's old rooms." Hermione replied, "The Headmistress is unable to access that particular part of the castle."

He hummed in thought, "One wouldn't think it required hands-on assistance from the Ministry's finest."

Harry scowled, he'd forgotten he was dealing with a Slytherin, "Ministry classified."

"I know why you're here," He pointed to the offending object on the floor.

"Do you know where he is?"

"Do you know his last whereabouts?"

They both started their questioning immediately and her quill and pad at the ready.

He gave a sad sigh and looked at his goblet, "It's my duty. It's always been my duty. One, I'm ashamed to admit that I could have done better."

"What are you talking about, Professor?" they looked at each other, wondering why he was odd. At least more so than usual.

"To protect you, all of you." He replied sadly, giving them a pitiful look, "Promises are meant to be kept."

Hermione knew he was talking about turning a blind eye to a young Tom Riddle, initiating the students of his house, hiding the necessary details about the Horcruxes. "You did the best you could."

"Too little, too late!" he raised his voice angrily, pounding his fist on the arm of his chair, "I knew the boy wasn't safe at home. I should have done something sooner! No child should ever know the pain he went through."

The room got quiet; this was not how they thought their interrogation turned confession would go.

"We are a prideful house, you see. I tried talking to the boy, but he was so closed off and angry at the world." Slughorn took a much longer sip this time, "' I am my own savior,' is what he would always say, but he was only partially right."

"Partially?"

He smiled and sighed happily, looking into the flames, "She was the best thing that ever happened to him…"

The corner of Harry's mouth tugged, "My mum, you mean."

He tilted his head and narrowed her eyes, "Who?"

"My mother," Harry repeated.

He looked up in thought, "I'm sorry my boy, I don't recall who your mother is."

"Lily Potter nee Evans…" Hermione started and rolled her hands as if he were supposed to catch on.

"Porter! The Muggleborn one with red hair?" Slughorn's eyes widened in recognition and pointed to Hermione, "The one with the black eye."

Harry shook his head, fiercely, "What? No!"

Slughorn changed the topic suddenly, his eyes glazing over and looking to a spot on the rug, "They all had nicknames, you know?"

"Who did?" Hermione asked, giving Harry a side look. She was letting him know that their witness may be too intoxicated.

"The Order," he hiccupped, "since the very beginning they all had names. Your father had one…"

"Prongs."

"Do you know what they called me?"

Hermione leaned forward, "What did they call you, sir?"

"Judas. Rightfully so…"

Neither said nothing, taking a moment to glance at each other as they waited for him to continue.

"I tried, I truly did. Even before the war," he took another long drink from his goblet, "I arranged his apprenticeship, it was I who convinced Jiggers!"

"Sir?"

Slughorn sighed and slumped in his seat, "Yet, it wasn't enough. Certainly not worth the pain and suffering he'd been through. I retired early for him, you know?"

"You did?" she said in disbelief.

He nodded, "Yes, I knew he was spiraling out of control and would lose the shop. I offered to take on as a silent partner, opening up this role that would keep him off the streets and give him somewhere safe."

"But were we safe from him?" Harry blurted out, quickly shutting it as she elbowed him, "Sorry."

He looked up to Harry and smiled, a distant look in his eyes, "Seeing you tonight… brings joy in knowing that did something good."

Hermione put a hand on Harry's shoulder and rubbed it gently, "Yes, he made it out alright, didn't he?"

Slughorn looked off to the distance and muttered, "He did… and I kept my promise."

"Sir?"

"It's late," he said suddenly, standing up to usher them to the door, "I have things to finalize, and you have rest to catch up on."

They awkwardly jumped to their feet when he did, unprepared for the sudden movement, "Oh, yes."

"Thank you for your time Professor," Harry shook his hand, "Perhaps we can stop by tomorrow and go over some more things?"

"You should be getting bed rest, Lord Potter/Black," Slughorn was back to his perky drunk self, "not wasting your talents on a prison with no locks."

"So, we'll reach out if," Hermione was cut off by the door being promptly shut in their face, "alright…. Nice seeing you."

Harry looked down at her, "I know he's always been rather odd, but doesn't he seem worse?"

"He's drunk, Harry. I'm surprised we got as much as we did, let alone him being able to save your life in his condition." She brought it back around to the elephant in the dungeon, "Speaking of…"

"It's late," he stopped her, "Let's get you home, and we can talk about this tomorrow."

Usually, she would argue with him until she dragged it out of him, but their Professor was right, he needed his rest. "Alright, but it's I who will be taking you home."

* * *

Muffled yelling and banging could be heard from outside the Minister's office. Everyone in the bullpen was standing or sitting still as they stated at the wooden door where the noises came from. They waited in horror as two of the famous trio were getting their arses handed to them by the boss.

Inside the office, Harry and Hermione sat straight in their chairs with their jaws clenched shut and their eyes glued forward as Kingsley continued to berate them.

"Do you have any idea how much shit we would be in if this got out to the public?!" Kingsley pointed to the door, angrily, "You're my two best Aurors- you made the bloody law, and you broke it!"

"But, sir-"

"Don't cut me off, Potter! I'm not finished," he pointed at him to remain silent, "Leaving evidence behind is one thing, but leaving behind a deadly fucking piece of dark magic is past the point of verbally reprimanding you!"

Hermione's eyes went wide, she bit her lip before asking, "Sir, we fully accept responsibility, but termination is rather harsh!"

"Agreed." Harry added, "Besides, Slughorn is a member of The Order. The mask was safe with him."

"He makes a point, sir; the Ministry considers The Order a branch of the department. Firing us would be unnecessary."

Kingsley rounded on her next, "Not when discussing negligent homicide!"

"WHAT?!" Harry shot out of his seat, "What the fuck do you mean, Kings?"

"Park your arse, Potter!" he challenged him, "Else, I cuff you there!"

Hermione tugged him by the sleeve, "Sit down, Harry. Let's not get worked up."

Kingsley pulled the mask out of the top drawer of his desk along with a letter, "As much as I hate to say it, Granger is right."

She winced at the sharp sting of him using her last name rather than first. They remained silent as he continued, hoping they still might have their jobs after this.

"I'd very much like to fire you, hell if this got out the all of Britain would want me to can your arses. What the hell were you thinking? Potter, you know better than anyone that even those in The Order cannot be trusted. Did you even test him?"

"Er…"

"You're fucking with me." Kingsley scowled and leaned forward on his desk.

Hermione finally spoke up, "Sir, Harry had a medical emergency. A reaction to some of the potions that Madame Pomfrey gave Harry after he put the mask on."

"Merlin Potter! You put the bloody thing on?!" Kingsley stared at him.

"We didn't have any other way to open the letter!" he put his hands up, "We got another lead by the way."

"**I don't care about your bloody leads! I care about the dead Professor at Hogwarts last seen by you two!"** Kingsley started to rant, "You left a cursed object with a known alcoholic, he put the mask on and was unable to get it off. He passed away sometime the early hours this morning."

"Merlin…" Hermione put her hands to her mouth and leaned forward on her knees.

"Bloody hell," Harry ran a hand through his messy hair, "Why did he do it? He wasn't that bloody stupid."

"Agreed." Kingsley said solemnly, "Which is why I'm not firing you."

"Oh, thank god," Hermione breathed, "but why?"

Kingsley threw the mask and the letter at them, "It was an obvious suicide, he knew what he was doing. He was laying peacefully in his bed with the mask on, his hands folded together, and this letter addressed to you two on his bedside table."

Harry picked up the envelope, "This case just keeps getting weirder and weirder."

"You think that's weird? He sent his last will and testament to Gringotts right before he died," he brought out an officially sealed scroll and laid it out on the desk, "He signed everything he owns to a 'Lord Severus of House Prince' then he left off with the word 'and', as I said he was drunk."

Harry read the letter to himself,

'_**Miss Granger and Lord Potter/Black,**_

_**If all your heroes are martyrs, shouldn't you be the same?**_

_**Eternal Gratitude for bringing me peace,**_

_**Potions Master, Head of Slytherin,**_

_**Horace Eugene Flaccus Slughorn'**_

He passed the note to her next, "What does that mean?"

"I was hoping you could tell me; it was addressed to you." Kingsley shrugged and gave him an annoyed look, "does any of it pertain to what you spoke of last night?"

"No, sir." She replied, "I take it, we still have our jobs because you were able to cover this up."

Kingsley held up three fingers, "I had to obliviate three house-elves and I am now in debt to McGonagall for keeping this under wraps. It's a bloody miracle you were smart enough to go in the cover of night. There's no one there to report the Ministry had anything to do with this."

"What are they telling everyone?" Harry asked and ran another hand through his hair. He couldn't believe Slughorn killed himself, they had just spoken to him less than twelve hours ago!

"He passed in his sleep, of old age, naturally." He explained, "Not uncommon in wizards who have an affinity for the dreamless drought and mead."

Hermione gasped, "You're spinning it to make him seem like a drunk!"

"He was a drunk, Mione." Harry pointed out.

Kingsley pinched the bridge of his nose, "From now on, no more fuck ups. I've got enough on my plate with Weasley harassing the female quidditch players in their locker room."

"Oh, Merlin," Harry groaned, "I'll talk to him."

"Your bloody right, you will. You owe me that much!" Kingsley snapped, "Now get your arses to the funeral! This gives you the perfect excuse to be on campus and look into Slughorn's chambers or Snape's for a lead."


	12. Chapter 12

**I prolly coulda edited this. I'm drunk.**

**check out my original work. you dont have to pay me to support me. its on wattpad and fiction press. if you guys just read it and get enough traffic to it, i can get noticed and that would be amazeballs. Its called Son of the Morning (i know right?) under my IRL name Davey Glover**

**so these next few chapters may seemed drawn out, but its because there is a lot going on in relation to the case and a lot of information thats going to be happening. so pay attention. **

* * *

They hadn't said a word to each other, leaving the office side-by-side and in absolute silence. Everyone quickly moved out of their way and didn't dare make eye contact with them. Even Ron kept his distance and promptly made the excuse that it was his lunchtime.

Once outside the familiar wrought-iron gate, they stood motionless, staring at the castle. The wind whipped around them, a few strands of her escaping the plait she had draped on her shoulder.

"Look at it," scoffing and shaking her head, "have you ever felt safe here? Honestly."

"I'd pick Hogwarts over the Dursley's any day," Harry said solemnly, his eyes on the castle but his mind far away, "Grimmauld place as well."

"That wasn't the question. After everything that we've been through. Fluffy, the Basilisk, a bloody time turner, that foul pink woman…"

"Safe was never a factor. When I first came to Hogwarts, after my first night in the castle," Harry shook his head, "I got a taste of a life that I could only ever imagine. There was no way I would ever- could ever give that up."

"You fought to get here," she offered.

"It's always been my home. I literally killed myself to get back here," he finally looked at her and gave her a sad smirk.

She realized she touched on a sensitive topic, one she meant to speak to him about prior to them nearly losing their jobs. "Is that why…"

He ignored her statement; he was done with the topic. He looked on towards the graveyard, "Think he'll mind if we didn't bring flowers? It was short notice."

"Please stop hiding behind dark humor," she put a hand on his arm, "I'm worried about you, Harry."

"Perhaps we could pop into Hogsmeade and get him a quick bottle?"

"_Harry."_

* * *

The Headmistresses office looked the same as it did the day before. They were early, several hours before the services would start. The prophet was notified in enough time to make the same day cut, and a significant turn out was expected for the late Potion Professor.

Hagrid could be seen from the high tower, making the necessary preparations for the funeral. Minerva stood at the fireplace, her back to them and something small and metal in her hands. Her eyes were red, she had been crying now that she had time to stop and process everything. She had been first on the scene to deal with everything once the elves alerted her.

"The Minister has caught you up?" she tipped her head back and took a swig from a small flask.

It wasn't the first time they'd seen her drink, but they knew things were bad if she was doing it openly. With the thickness of her Scottish accent slipping through, they knew she had been at it for a while.

"Yes, Professor," Harry answered.

Hermione jumped in, "I just want to say, we didn't mean to- "

She put a hand up, "Save it, Miss Granger. I hold neither of you accountable."

Harry let out a breath he didn't realize he was holding, "Thank Merlin someone does."

Minerva put the flask away, somewhere in the many hidden pockets of her black robes, "Horace would have killed himself one way or another. The only thing either of you is at fault for is timing."

"Has Professor Slughorn shown signs of wanting to hurt himself before?" Hermione didn't bring out the quill and notebook this time.

"The man was a barely functional alcoholic," she pointed out, "why do you think he did it?"

Harry took her place near the fire, leaning against the wall near the mantle, "If you asked me a week ago, I would have said it was because he was afraid. Spineless even."

Minerva pursed her lips, "And now, Mr. Potter?"

Harry answered for her, "With everything we've all been through, it would be a shock he didn't do so sooner."

"Harry!" Hermione snapped, "Apologies, Professor, he's under a lot of stress."

She waved a hand, "He's right."

"I've never heard you say those words before in my life, are you certain you aren't ill?" Harry asked, "Hermione, check her temperature while I get Madam Pomfrey."

"Shut up, Harry."

Minerva ignored them both, "If you haven't noticed, Horace was a drinker. He used it to cope with his demons."

Hermione took the seat opposite her, "Demons?"

"Perhaps it is I who should be asking you," she mused as tipped her flask in the teacup just handed to her, "what did he speak of last night? Was he acting off?"

"More so than usual," Harry started, "he avoided the question of Snape's possible location and how to get into his rooms."

"I'm surprised he refused to speak of him, Severus was his favorite."

Harry put a hand up, "No, he spoke of nothing else but him. He just refused to acknowledge those questions. Hell, he didn't even know who we were talking about until we acknowledged Snape's House."

"Ah, yes. The Sacred House Prince," Minerva took another sip of her spiked tea.

Hermione picked up where he left off, "He said he knew about Professor Snape's abuse at home, but all he could do was help set him up for success later in life."

"I've been through 3 wars, two of them with Horace," She finally took a seat at her spot near the fire, "Do you know why he refused to fight in either?"

"So, he didn't fight because he felt guilty that Snape had a bad childhood?" Harry asked skeptically.

Minerva remained quiet while they worked it out, taking the time to take another sip of her precious flask. Hermione's mind was moving faster than her mouth could catch up. Her lips were moving, but no sound came out and her eyes focused on a spot across the room.

"We're thinking too small…"

"What?"

Minerva finally spoke, now that she knew at least one of them understood the bigger picture, "That's just it, Mr. Potter. Severus was just a child. You were just a child. All of you were at one point our students, Tom Riddle included. Horace had to watch while Voldemort recruited the rest of them one by one."

"And he couldn't show disbarred treatment or lack of loyalty towards his House. He'd get everyone killed." Hermione now understood what he was talking about last night, "He couldn't fight in a war against the students he swore to protect. Remember Harry? He said it was his duty to protect all of us, then he kept apologizing."

"That's about when I think he was pretty sloshed; he couldn't remember my mum's name." Harry smirked, "Kept calling her Porter, said she had black eyes or something."

Minerva spat her tea out, trying to cover up a drunken cackle, "I nearly forgot about that."

Hermione waved her wand, vanishing the mess, "Forgot about what, Professor?"

"Have you seen pictures of your parent's wedding day?" Minerva asked, unable to keep the corner of her mouth from turning.

"Uh, no. Do you have any pictures? You were there, weren't you, Professor?" Harry asked hopefully.

Shaking her head, "No, I was unable to attend. I had to attend another wedding on the same day," she was clearly tipsy, leaning in towards Hemione as if sharing juicy gossip, "but I heard it was on the front page!"

They clearly weren't getting whatever the joke was. Hermione changed it back to the topic at hand, "Professor, why did the order call him Judas?"

She sobered quickly, "Once it was made known he was the one who gave Voldemort the information regarding Horcruxes, some members had mixed feelings for him. While one half of the Order wanted someone to point the finger at, the other half was skeptical he was showing up late, if not at all."

"Sounds like no one wanted him in the order, why let him in after all that time?" His arms were crossed, and his ankle hooked over the other as he leaned against the mantle.

"Albus, why else?" she rolled her eyes, pointing her thumb to the sleeping portrait across the office.

"Harry, remember the way he kept looking at Snape's mask? He couldn't stop looking at it, it was captivating to him. He also thanked us in his letter, for bringing him peace."

He was catching on to what she was saying, "So, when he saw the mask… he knew that Snape was still alive."

"Right, I think, and correct me if I'm wrong Professor," she gave a side glance to the older woman, "he was able to put his 'demons' to rest, so to speak. Which is why the Headmistress isn't upset with us. He was going to do it eventually; he was just waiting for the sign and we gave it to him."

"At least he was able to go peacefully, and on his terms," Minerva mused, "We have enough ghosts roaming around the castle."

"Peacefully?" Harry scowled, "I know what that mask can do. You've seen what that mask can do. I can only imagine how you found him."

Hermione scowled at him, "Way to bring a mood down, Harry."

He shook his head and announced their exit, "We've got to look through Slughorn's quarters and try to get into Snape's. See you at the funeral, Professor."

* * *

Slughorn's rooms provided nothing of value. They split up to cover more ground since they were on a time restriction. The only thing they found were personal items that he collected over the years.

Hermione came out of Slughorn's study and called out to Harry, "Hey, you found anything?"

"Enough liquor to supply all of Diagon for a lifetime," he stated as he came out of the room he could only consider as the wine cellar, "what about you?"

She held up a stack of papers, "A bunch of my old essays that I turned in and he never graded."

"Guess you'll never get that closure, sorry." He did little to hide the smile. When she opened her mouth, he cut her off, "I know, I'll shut up."

"Figure it's time we had a look at Snape's unbreachable door?" she asked as she tossed the parchment in her bag.

He looked around the room one last time, "Alright, but remind me to check his floo records when we get back to the office."

They made their way down the darker parts of the dungeon. Once they reached the large stone archway, they looked up to the massive painting hung above them. There were dark clouds in the sky, with what looked like a winged figure falling. Another figure with a flaming sword followed on the attack.

"Pretty morbid, innit?" Harry said as he craned his neck and took a step back. He took out his wand and ran over a few diagnostic spells, pocketing it when he came up with nothing, "Do you want to take a crack at the password then?"

Hermione took out her notepad and flipped through the pages. Clearing her throat, she began trying to guess the password, "Son of the morning…. I didn't think it would be that easy, but I had to try."

They took turns guessing the password with no such luck.

"I'm at a loss, what do we do now?" Harry turned to her, "We have to have something to show Kingsley and we are completely empty-handed."

Hermione flipped through the pages as she spoke, "The only thing I can think of is going to see Scabior again. Maybe we can ask him more direct questions now that we have some clarity on the situation."

His brows disappeared into his hairline, "_Clarity of the situation?_ We're nowhere bloody close and the funeral is in a few hours!"

"You know what- never mind," she sighed and rubbed her temples, "neither of us has gotten proper sleep or food in the last forty-eight hours. Let's just take a step back, go interrogate Scabior again and get back in time for the funeral."

"Why don't I go and you stay here?" He didn't like Hermione going to Azkaban. He didn't want to go either, but if he could keep her away from a building full of Britain's worst, then he would.

Shaking her head, "Let's just get this over with."


	13. Chapter 13

**Oh snap, things are getting intense. Thoughts? **

**Anyone catch those hints in the last chapter? Hmmmm? What about this one? Reviews?**

* * *

The weather near Azkaban was far harsher than it was in Scotland. They were off the coast of the prison, standing on the cliff of a small island that served as the only apparating and port key point in the middle of the North Sea. Harry stood close enough to Hermione to block most of the wind attacking her hair. Instinctively, she leaned into him and looked out towards the black abstract structure in the middle of the ocean.

"Are you certain I can't talk you into going back to the castle?" he asked and looked down at her.

She looked up at him, her hair blowing into her eyes, "I'm not leaving you alone in there, Harry. Not with everything you have going on right now. Not that I don't trust you with Scabior," she bit her lip, "you know how you get with them."

Hermione was speaking about the Death Eaters. Notably, the time he was escorted off the property with a bloody nose and a reporter happened to be at the prison as well. He landed front page in the papers for getting baited into an altercation with Yaxley, who, in turn, used that publicity and turned victim before the final court hearing. He walked out of the Ministry on probation.

His hand reached up and tucked the wayward locks behind her ears, "Even if I said you could go to the library, and I'll join you after?"

"I'll never leave your side," Her words hit him harder than she knew, "you're stuck with me."

What would have been a romantic moment for a first kiss, had the horn of the ferry not blown obnoxiously. The two had been friends for so long, stuck by each other through so much. After a decade together, he could sense her magic better than he could Ron's chaotic outbursts.

Just as they were hunting for Horcruxes, he could feel the soft tug of her magic pull on his own, and small scrunch of her nose. He knew she was about to apparate them both down to the dock.

Harry went through the intricate and high-level security first, "Auror Potter to see Scabior... what's his last name?" he looked over his shoulder to Hermione for the answer. He hadn't known him by any other name.

"Don't worry 'bout it, Potter. Only got one of 'em," the head of security said, "'fraid I can't give ya a room, though."

"Pardon," Hermione spoke up, "why not?"

"Minster's orders, Luv," He handed them back both their wands after registering them, "he's on high profile lockdown."

They knew what that meant, he was in solitary confinement. Hermione's gut swirled, all of the worst ones were on the lowest level, and they would have to walk through death row to question him. That meant she had to see Dolohov.

"We won't need much time anyway," Harry said as he slipped his wand back up his sleeve with a hardened face.

"That's preposterous, surely I can call Kingsley and get this straightened out."

"We're already on his shite list, Mione. He isn't going to be keen on favors right now," sensing her hesitance, "Look, if you want to wait here, that's fine. Just give me twenty minutes, and we'll be out of here."

"Nonsense," she stood up straight and tightened her jacket around herself, "we're partners for better or for worse."

Her words shook him, "Huh?"

"You know what I mean," she blushed and moved towards the elevator.

* * *

Once departed from the first level, the atmosphere changed, and Harry could see and hear the shiver of her breath. The structure of Azkaban was hollow in the center, allowing natural light throughout the prison. It flashed through the small window with each floor they passed. It got darker the further they went, deep beneath the raging seas.

The guard who traveled with them remained by the elevator after calling the others who were walking the level. They were giving them the space to conduct their interrogation in peace. It was the least they could do since they were unable to provide them with a private room.

"Call us if you need anything," he nodded his head and turned to bullshit with his men who were glad to get the break, "Just don't rile them up."

"Thanks," Harry nodded and led Hermione down the hall.

Even though the Dementors were replaced after the war, the unsettling feeling of emptiness was still there. Harry could feel the start of a cold sweat start to form on the back of his neck. A hiss of whispers traveled down the hall, announcing that two of the golden trio were walking through their domain.

Scabior was sitting cross-legged on his bed, which was pushed into the furthest corner of the room. Cupping one hand over his right ear and rocking back and forth slowly, whispering to himself in the darkness.

Harry softly spoke in her ear, "What you reckon he's saying? I can't hear him."

"We don't have to hear him, the quill does," she quickly opened her bag, "It doesn't matter the volume, just that it's spoken within its vicinity. It was invented for reporters, after all."

'_Three... two... three...' _the quill scribbled on, _'Captured... sinful estate..."_

He cocked a brow, "What does that mean?"

"Familiar," She whispered quietly to herself and started shuffling through the notepad, "Here, it's the riddle on the grave."

"That means he was at the grave," he gave a frustrated growl, "I told you all the wards weren't enough. I told them we needed Aurors stationed there at all times."

"Not now," she looked back to Scabior and announced herself, "do you know the answer to the riddle, Scabior?"

He paused in his whispers, yet he didn't respond as he continued to rock back and forth.

"You were right about the grave," she continued, "We found the scarf."

Scabior didn't answer her, he continued staring ahead with his hand cupped to his ear.

Harry grabbed the notepad from her and flipped back to the other riddle, "You're a lot smarter than anyone gives you credit for, aren't you Scabior? You figured out how to open the letter, didn't you?"

His hands slowly crept up to cover his mouth and nose, leaving space between his fingers for his eyes as he turned to look at them. Acting as if he was wearing a mask over his face.

"You remember what the letter said?" Harry began to read aloud, "Rip out the framework, leave no stone unturned... what does that mean, Scabior? Is it talking about the grave?"

Scabior jumped up, clapping his hands and laughing, "Oh! He puts the mask on! And Scabior thought Potter was too scared to get his hands dirty."

Harry wasn't letting him side-track this time, "Tell us what the bloody riddle means!"

"_Oh, wretched man," _Scabior started singing eerily, _"Wretched man that I am..."_

"We already figured out the other riddle," Harry continued, trying to get through to him.

"_Oh, lowly man..." _he continued to sing, slowly spinning in a waltz around his cell with an invisible partner, "_who can save such a wretch that I am?"_

A familiar and unwelcome voice came from the shadows of a cell nearby, "You won't get through to him, his mind is too far gone."

"Can it, Malfoy."

Only the dark outline of the man could be seen, and the occasional flare of the cigarette when he took a drag. His figure leaning against the bars of his cell door as he watched them curiously.

Hermione nudged his shoulder, "Ignore him, Harry. We have to push on Scabior harder."

Lucius tusked, "Does Britain's brightest need help with her homework?"

After the war, The Malfoy family took a plea bargain. Lucius Malfoy would do his time for aiding and abetting the overthrow of the Ministry while his wife and son walked free. They were able to clear other charges on the Malfoy Family. Narcissa was given a pardon for aiding and abetting to Harry's fake death during the final battle, and with Draco being underage at the time, they were able to sway the court in believing he was forced to take the Mark against his will.

Harry followed her instructions and ignored him. Instead, turning back to the insane man dancing by himself in the cell, "Scabior, we know about the bible. That's what you're looking for next, right?"

"But you can't get into the castle to get it, can you?" she asked.

"The girlie thinks she knows," he cackled before his face turned sour, "Don't send an Angel to face the Devil."

"An Angel?" Hermione asked.

Spitting as he frowned upon her in disgust, _"Scabior would have found her, but you got in the way."_

Ears perked at his statement, "Found who?"

A deep rumble of laughter startled Hermione, "What does Harry Potter want with Severus Snape?"

Harry couldn't ignore the other prisoner any longer, "No one ever said anything about him."

"Oh, but you did." Lucius hissed, "One must be careful when speaking in a prison of Death Eaters."

"Shut up, Malfoy. You don't know anything."

Taking a long drag from his cigarette, "Tell you what, Potter. I'll help you out if you help me out."

Harry scoffed and took a step closer to his cell, speaking loud and clear for the other prisoners to hear him, "You want to make a plea bargain? Didn't you already rat out enough of your friends down here?"

Lucius scowled at him, "That's low, even for you, Potter."

"Oops, did I just make your time in prison harder?" Harry said sarcastically, ignoring the tugging on his jacket from Hermione to stop.

"I'll tell you what you want to know," he cut to the chase.

Hermione stepped forward now, "Bold of you to assume you know what we need."

"I've been that man's best friend for decades, Granger." He rolled his eyes and flicked his cigarette, "So when two high ranked Aurors make a personal visit to a low ranked Death Eater discussing riddles and bibles, I know exactly whom they speak of."

"Where's the bible?" Harry asked.

"Why do you want it?" Lucius shot back.

"Why do you think?"

Lucius chuckled again, "I don't think, Potter. I know. How bad do you want it, though?"

Hermione put a hand in the center of Harry's chest, stopping him from getting any closer to Lucius, "What do you want in return."

He smirked at her, "Probation."

"Never," Harry responded immediately.

"Calm down, Harry." Hermione shushed him before turning to Lucius, "We can't do that, but I might be able to move you to the Commons. That's as close to the exit as you're ever going to get, Malfoy. That way, you can at least get visitation."

Lucius shook his head and crossed his arms, "Probation for access to his rooms. That's the final deal."

"Forget it, come on, Hermione." Harry started to walk away.

She walked closer to Lucius, trying to act unphased by Dolohov being in the cell next to his. "Tell me why we should trust you. How do you have the information that another Death Eater wouldn't? Give me a reason when I could go to another who will take my deal."

"You see, Miss Granger... I have more control in here than you think," Lucius casually leaned against the bars of his cell. His long blond hair hanging a lanky, greasy curtain around his face, "If I were you, I'd take my deal."

"Bullshite," Harry cursed, "and don't start with that 'victim of circumstance' bollocks either."

"You don't see me, but you will hear me," He said in a sinister voice. Standing up straight with his head high, Lucius put his arms out to his sides and yelled, "**If this war is for man,"** he stopped and enthusiastically put a hand to his ear with a wide smile.

A few moments later, the lower levels of the prison erupted in a roar, "**THEN I AM A BEAST!"**

Hermione pulled out her wand when she saw Dolohov rush the door of his cell to chant with the others. His dark eyes on her, not afraid of the wooden rod pointing at his chest.

"Quiet!" Harry hissed to the prisoners around them. They could hear the sound of the guards running towards them.

Lucius covered his mouth in jest and sarcastically repeated Harry's earlier statement, "Oops, did I just make your time in prison harder?"

"This is why we needed a bloody room!" Hermione cursed and put her wand away.

Lucius signaled them both closer and spoke in a hushed whisper, "_Just think of what would happen when if I told them he's alive."_

"We never said he was," she argued.

"_You didn't have to_," he winked and took in a deep breath, **"Do you hear that brothers?! The Son of the Morning lives!"**

The prison erupted around them in chant, **"MORNING STAR! MORNING STAR!"**

The guards finally came upon them, "What the bloody hell did you do?! I told ye' not to rile 'em up! You weren't even talking to the right one!"

The prisoners began banging against their cells and throwing with anything they could find at the guards and Aurors. The guards surrounded Hermione and Harry for protection, following protocol for situations like this.

"Get 'em outta here!" another guard ordered as he tried to stop a potential riot from happening.

"Think about my offer!" Lucius called out to them, "Either you let me out of here on your terms, or I get out on his."

Harry shrugged off one of the guards, pushing forward to get closer to Lucius, "Whose?"

Lucius didn't answer; instead, he smirked and stepped away from the cell door, _"Qui in captivitatem duxerit, in captivitatem vadet,_" raising his arms to his sides and looked up as if in prayer, _"Qui in gladio occiderit, oportet eum gladio occidi. Hic est patientia, et fides sanctorum."_

Harry opened his mouth to respond, "What-" but multiple hands grabbed him.

Lucius' mouth slowly curved into a cruel smirk as the guards pushed Harry towards the exit.


	14. Chapter 14

**in light of everything going on with COVID, I am being pulled to work more. i am highly stressed and severely understaffed. i work in the mortgage industry and there are literally thousands of homeowners who are screaming at me to help them and I only have a team of 8 people. ****needless to say I'm hiring. lol**

**please be patient with updates as I now have 3 jobs and still in school with 2 kids under 3.**

**other news, my son took his first steps yesterday and it was the best thing ever lately.**

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The pair of Aurors turned detectives were immediately surrounded by reporters and familiar faces when they apparated to the front gates of Hogwarts.

"Oh, my dears, you're finally here! Now we can all get moving along," Molly reached out to embrace them both and push them towards the large group of Weasleys and Order Members.

"Mrs. Weasley, what are you doing here?" Harry asked as he continued to get pushed along through the gates.

"What are _you_ doing here, Ronald?" Hermione asked suspiciously to their friend, who was standing next to his sister.

"Figured I'd take some time away from my high priority case to pay respects to my former Potions Master," Ron thundered, hoping a reporter would hear him.

Molly grabbed Ron by the arm and pushed him to stand on Hermione's other side, "Let's not forget he saved your life!"

With narrowed eyes and crossed arms, Hermione replied, "You didn't even want to go to Snape's funeral, and he saved your life dozens of times. Most of which were from cauldron explosions."

"I still went, didn't I?" he laughed, "Besides, we get the day off work."

Hermione's jaw clenched shut tightly, trying to refrain from telling him off for blatant abuse of the Ministry's bereavement policy.

"Oh, Harry. I'm so relieved you're here," Ginny's voice cut through the crowd, causing Hermione's head to swivel.

"Good to see you too," he said awkwardly and kept his hands in his pockets.

Molly moved around to them, "Isn't it so sad? It takes a funeral to bring us all together again."

Harry's eyes bulged as Ginny wrapped her arms around him. Looping her arms through his to wrap around his middle. Resting her head on his shoulder, "Absolutely, Mum. I've been so busy with training that I've not had the time to be with Harry lately."

"Well, I'm sure that will all change when you have children," she smiled warmly and pat him on the arm.

Hermione cut in, "Yes, far in the future when they've established themselves."

Molly's face lit up, "Of course, dear! We all support your careers. Speaking of, let's get over there with the Minister. I'm certain he's waiting to hear from his top Aurors!"

Lopping her arm in Harry's and Hermione's, she half dragged them up the hill in determination to paint the perfect image of a family.

"Oh no, he doesn't look happy." Ron groaned as they got closer to the top, Kingsley's face in firm disapproval as they approached, "He still mad at you two from this morning? You know, with the whole 'misplaced evidence.'"

"Ron!" Hermione hissed, "You cannot discuss work in public. Let alone here!" she pointed to the reporters.

"Oh, right. I got you. Given it's your fault, there is a funeral and all." He nodded and put a hand on the small of her back as they walked.

"Ron!" Ginny leaned across Harry and scolded him, "Shut your gob!"

"He still mad at you for the locker room incident?" Harry shot back, ignoring the multiple shushed from the women around him, "or is it the missing reports?"

"Or maybe he's upset because his two Aurors cause a riot in Azkaban," the deep voice of their boss stopped them in their tracks.

Molly ignored his disappointment and reached out for him, "Kingsley, dear. How are you?"

"Busy as ever, Molly. How about you and yours? Doing well, I hope?" his tone changing to greet the motherly figure.

"It's creepy how well he can turn it on and off." Ron muttered to his friends, "What the bloody hell were you two in Azkaban for?"

"We can't discuss details of the case!" Hermione snapped again, ripping her arm away from his.

Ginny tusked, "See Harry, the job is stressful. We should both time some time off to focus on-"

"Stressful? The job isn't stressful, your brother is!" Hermione said in a harsh whisper.

"Perhaps Miss Granger would be so kind as to join me briefly before the services?" Kingsley called out over the arguing, "We must discuss our future campaign strategy."

Her red cheeks once hot with anger, now turning pale as her eyes widened, "Of course, Sir. Seeing as we missed our meeting this afternoon."

Molly ushered the rest of them to their seats as Hermione followed their boss with her head slightly down and in defeat. Harry wanted to go with them, but the tight hold that the two women had on him was uncomfortable. She made sure to sit them in the front with the rest of the order surrounding them. Molly sat center aisle with Harry and Ginny on her left, and an open seat for Hermione on her right between her and Ron.

When she returned, Ginny was practically trying to sit in Harry's lap, while he struggled to console a sobbing Molly. Ron gave her a goofy lopsided smile and pat the chair next to him. Once she sat down, he put an arm around her and obnoxiously breathed into her right ear.

"Dearly beloved, we are gathered here to honor the memory of our friend and colleague Horace…" Kingsley stood at a podium atop the hill, next to Slughorn's open casket floating above the freshly dug grave and headstone.

Harry leaned back and gave a side glance to Hermione, who looked just as uncomfortable as he, 'Sorry.' He mouthed.

She gave him a small, sad smile and sighed. Ron thought she was sniffling, pulling her forcefully into his shoulder and chest.

"I get it, Mione, women always crying at funerals," he muttered to her supportively.

Kingsley was also fidgeting awkwardly, having to read a eulogy written by the deceased himself. Clearing his throat, "Now, I will read the last words written by Horace: 'To my friends and family, I know that you will find it in your hearts to heal and move one. The sadness of my passing will come to an end, knowing that I… left a copy of… my memoir with the Minister to publish with his announcement of my death in this evening's paper."

Looking back to the Headmistress, "Do I really have to go through with this?"

"For Merlin's sake, just feed into the man's ego one last time." She hissed, pointing at the scroll in front of him as if he were a student refusing to do his homework.

He sighed and rubbed the top of his left brow, "To those who had the privilege of attending one of my classes, seminars or private meetings,"

A collective groan throughout the audience was heard amongst the crowd of sobbing patrons. Harry looked over when he saw two older wizards off to the side, snickering to each other and one rolling their eyes, "_Privilege? More like forced participation."_

Kingsley carried on, "and to get why we are all here today, my last will and testament."

The taller of the old men sat up straighter, his words carrying a thick German accent, "_About bloody time."_ The pale, thin woman with black hair tied up in a bun on his left nudged him with a shush.

"Regarding my vast collections of books, trophies, memorabilia, research notes…" Kingsley picked up the scroll to read the smaller handwriting, watching it unroll before him to an even longer list.

Harry ignored the two sobbing women clinging to him and ruining his robes. He looked over to Hermione, hoping to get her attention, but she looked like she was having an intense game of keep away from Ron. His attention turned back to the two wizards with white and greying hair who seemed most out of place.

He watched the exchange as the shorter man cleared his throat loudly, which got Kingsley's attention. Harry watched as the small wizard row his finger in a circle and point to his watch. Harry couldn't believe that Kingsley actually balled up the scroll and went to the bottom immediately.

"…and in conclusion, everything I own up to and including any estates or businesses shall be awarded to Severus of House Prince and-"

The crowd went silent, waiting for him to complete the sentence most relatives were waiting decades to hear.

"AND WHAT?!" someone from the back called out. Which caused raised murmurs and whispers amongst them.

The taller wizard spat on the ground, angrily,_ "I put my heart and soul into that shop and that boy, and this is what I get?"_

"_Dear, you know what Severus meant to him." _the woman had to be his wife.

"_Then he should have trained the boy himself, not leave him on my doorstep. Look at that smug bastard lying there with a smile… and taking credit for my greatest achievement!"_ the taller wizard was obviously upset, _"He took my boy…"_

Harry cleared his throat and whispered for Hermione. When she finally looked at him, he nodded his head over to the two he'd been watching during the service. She tilted her head in confusion as to what he wanted but kept watch of them regardless.

The short man snorted, _"I already told you he wasn't leaving you, shite. You're the fool for thinking his suicide note would change that. Did you forget the last time you two had it out?"_

Hermione's brows shot up, details of his death were not included in the papers. No one knew this was a suicide, they were only informed he was found my house-elves in the early morning and passed in his sleep.

"_I'd rather not have another altercation at a funeral," _the woman warned her husband.

"_Altercation? Is that what you call a right hook?" _the shorter man snickered.

"_How would you like it if someone started a brawl at your son's funeral, __**Garrick**__?" _she snapped.

Harry's head spun to Hermione, locking eyes and both mouthing, '_Is that Ollivander?' _Neither had seen the man in years since rescuing him from the cellar turned basement at Malfoy Manor. '_Are they talking about Snape?' _Harry mouthed, but she shrugged.

Kingsley put his hands up, "That's all it says. It ends there. Given the circumstances of our dearest…"

Minerva gave him a sharp look before he continued. Warning him to choose his words wisely.

"…friend…" he said awkwardly, "and the manner and sudden timing of his passing."

"_I bet they would have been 'Eat shite and die, Johan,'" _the man named Garrick chuckled to his friend.

Kingsley quickly finished up his speech and stepped down from the podium, "with that note, this is still a magically binding document and will be honored by the Ministry. Please come in a single file line to pay your respects before the final burial. Thank you."

"_Give it to me straight, Garrick. Do I lose the shop?" _the man named Johan asked his friend.

Garrick rolled his eyes, "_Just because your name isn't alone on the title doesn't mean you lost it. The only thing you've lost is your mind. You really believe the boy and I haven't taken care of you?"_

Harry's mind was racing with thoughts and millions of questions as to what these men were discussing. He couldn't help but feel it had something to do with Snape.

"Come on you lot, we've got to get good seats at the Head Table. I had the Headmistress put us right up front." Molly stood and pulled them with her.

"But we have to- " Hermione tried to follow Harry towards the two older wizards who were walking away from the services.

"Oh great, I'm starving!" Ron smiled and pulled Hermione by the hand towards the castle.


	15. Chapter 15

**I apologize for short and few chapters. Life is busy, work is hell and things to be done. I will try to do better at posting.**

**positive vibes, positive reviews.**

**stay safe.**

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"Actually, the Minister wants to speak to us," Harry thundered over the crowd of mingling people moved down the hill towards the castle.

Ron let go of her hand immediately, "Work calls you; dinner calls me. I'll save you a plate."

"His allergies must be acting up," Harry scoffed once Ron was out of hearing, "because he's allergic to anything work-related."

She looked him square in the eye with a straight face, "Harry Potter, if you make me look bad by laughing at a funeral, I will kill you."

He could see the corner of her mouth struggle to fight off a smile, "I could never make you look bad; you're amazing all the time."

Looking away, shyly, "If Kingsley wanted to speak with us, why did he leave?"

"He didn't," Harry admitted, sighing heavily, "I had to get out of there. I'm sorry I pulled you into my lie."

She shook her head, adamantly, "No, Harry. You saved me!"

He noticed how the pink sky of the setting sun behind her only accentuated her curly hair and small dimples on her cheek. He swallowed hard, "Anyway, I figured we could use this time to look for clues. McGonagall claimed that the riddle on Snape's grave appeared shortly after the funeral-"

"So, you're here about the tree then?" a familiar voice interrupted him.

"Neville- what?" Harry nearly jumped at the intrusion.

"I knew you were here for something bigger than a funeral. I take it you're investigating Snape's grave then?" he smiled at his longtime friend, "I work here, remember?"

Hermione mentally kicked herself for forgetting Neville took over the Herbology position after Professor Spout retired after the war, "We were going to come to see you."

Neville Longbottom indeed outgrew his short chubby frame, but not his medium length hair and round cheeks. His smile lighting up the darkening skies, "So I was right! They are connected!"

Harry put a hand up to quiet their friend, "Hold on, what are you talking about?"

"The tree! You must be here about the tree, and the flowers-" he cut himself off with an excited inhale, "and -and- and the door! They are linked! I knew it!"

"The what?" the Aurors said in unison.

"The tree I found shortly after the cemetery was built. The Headmistress didn't tell you?" Neville looked at them with worried eyes, "Perhaps I said too much."

"Not at all, Neville, we just were not prepared to run into an old mate who knew what us poorly undercover Aurors were up to." Harry gave a smile and pat him on the shoulder.

"How have you been?" Hermione asked after giving him a friendly hug.

Neville smiled, "I've been great since moving out of Gran's. I love her, but a bit overbearing at times. Professor McGonagall still lets her come over for tea, which is nice, but being able to shut the floo off at times is even nicer. You should'a seen the look on Lord Ollivander's face when she came up to him at the service. Said he couldn't believe she survived the war and raising me." Neville's laugh stopped when they didn't join him, "Now that I think of it, it might not have been a joke."

Harry noticed their friend started wringing his hands, "But…?"

"Well, Professor Slughorn's passing before the end of the term leaves us with an empty post." Neville looked nervous., "McGonagall wants me to fill in until we find another."

"_You_?" Harry pointed at him with a skeptical look, Hermione elbowed him hard. "I didn't mean to be rude."

"That's what I said!" Neville exclaimed, "Me?! Harry, I've melted every cauldron I've come in contact within a classroom setting."

"Isn't there another Professor who's able to help?" Hermione asked, "I'm sure if you tell the Headmistress-"

He shook his head adamantly, his shaggy hair moving down his forehead, "She won't listen, said that Snape is gone and his ghost won't pop up to give me detention. But I ain't one to take that chance!"

"What if you stick to theory? Not as much lab time, I'm sure the students would appreciate it as well." Hermione offered.

Harry felt for him, but they had a job to do, "The tree, Neville. Can you show us the tree?"

"Oh, of course," he nodded and pointed up the hill, "Come on then."

As they passed Snape's grave, Neville did a small bow and greeted the headstone, "Sir."

Harry wondered if the other man knew the grave was empty as well, not that he could ask or tell him. Perhaps it would soothe him knowing the man wasn't, in fact laying six feet below them, nor could roll in his grave for a Longbottom to touch his private stores.

Neville stepped past the Snape's grave, which happened to be the last on in the back of the cemetery. He stepped over large parts of the tree that were uprooted, hurrying around to the back while ducking under low hanging branches.

"What's the story with the tree, Neville?" Harry asked as he looked around the perfectly normal looking tree.

Neville started looking around for something, "It didn't start with the tree. It started with the flowers."

"Someone has been placing flowers at the tree? Being in a cemetery, that doesn't seem too out of the norm, does it?" Harry looked back to Hermione, who shrugged but shooed him to keep following Neville around the tree.

"No, not like that. Someone placed these flowers here but to hide the tree." He said, and used his wand for light as he looked up into the branches of the tree, "There!"

"Flowers are growing on the tree, how is that tied to Snape or anything?" Harry said in frustration as he looked up to see some green flowers growing on the side of the tree.

Neville scowled, "I know you think I'm foolish, but I can tell you that as the Herbology Professor, these are not native to Northern Scotland."

"You think Someone planted them here? I'm sorry Neville, I do not see the connection." Hermione finally said.

"At first, it was the flowers. I was curious as to their origin and went to pick a few for cultivation in the greenhouse. That's when I saw it," Neville used his wand to move the light closer, "Dahlias don't thrive in the winter, let alone on a tree."

He reached up with his other hand and picked one of the flowers, using the light to hold it out in front of his two friends. The large green bloom got larger as if it was reaching its full peak of maturity before quickly fading in color. It went from vibrant green to pure black and shriveled before disintegrating in his hand and floating to the ground and in the small breeze around them.

"What just happened?" Harry pulled out his own wand and started looking at the remnants that were in Neville's hand. He picked up a pinch of the black powder and moved it between his fingers before smelling it. "It smelled burnt."

"It's ash, Harry," Neville said seriously, the grave look on his face highlighted by their wands, "No flower I've seen, nor book I've read has ever covered anything like this. A flower that grows from a tree and not the soil itself is one thing, but this? Someone planted this here intentionally with specific magic that far surpassed anything I've known."

"You say intentionally, how do you know for sure? Hogwarts has many mysteries, a new breed of flower growing in a place where a battle of magic happened and in a cemetery full of people with strong magical energies." Hermione said as she looked around the ground for more flowers.

"Because they planted these to hide this," he used his wand to reach up again, this time the empty spot where the flower he'd picked once been, started to grow a new one immediately. They watched in awe as the bud formed and quickly grew to the flower it once was. Neville used his wand to push the large flowers out of the way, "I don't know about you, but those initials look pretty familiar to me."

Hermione gasped and put a hand to her mouth. The bark of the tree had been disturbed, what looked like decades ago, but the lettering still clear with seventeen marks around it forming a circle.

**"SS + ****JO"**

"Bloody hell…" Harry muttered and looked at Hermione.

Hermione quickly reached for her bag and pulled out a piece of parchment and a muggle pencil, "Harry, get a copy, would you?"

"Copy?" Neville asked.

Harry grabbed it from her, "Never did this in primary school, Neville?" he joked and started shading the pencil over the tree.

Hermione was whispering to her quick notes quill, which was going at a furious pace. Suddenly she turned and pointed to Neville, "When did you find this and how?"

"I- I- I came to visit old friends and check on some new ones." Neville's cheeks turned slightly pink in embarrassment, "Not a lot of people our age still here at Hogwarts, eh?"

"Then I'll make it a point to stop in for work more often," Harry smiled at him over his shoulder.

Hermione nodded and continued with her questions, "You mentioned a door?"

"Oh!" he perked up, "Snape's rooms are locked up tighter than Gringotts."

She nodded, "Yes, unfortunately, we are still working on that."

"I wonder if it has to do with the temperature. I'm sure you already went down to check, you know being the Aurors and all." He chuckled and pushed his hair from his face.

Harry spun around from his task, "Temperature?"

"Well, you didn't notice how hot it was down there? For the dungeons? The source of the heat comes from that entrance." Neville looked from them back and forth, "Or… I could be completely wrong."

Hermione looked at Harry and shook her head slightly, "Did you notice the temperature?"

He shook his head, "No, and we should have. Neville, you have been more than helpful. Is there anything we can do for you?"

Smiling at his childhood friends, "Well, you can certainly sit next to me at dinner. It would be nice to have proper company in the Great Hall."


End file.
